Action needed over social care

YET again the Tories are backtracking on social care. In 2019, Boris Johnson promised to fix the crippled sector once and for all but, two years on, the promised reforms are still only given a brief mention in the Queen’s Speech.

The story of Royal Navy veteran Ken Klee who was forced to sell the home he’d worked for all his life to pay £850-a-week care home fees is a poignant example of how the system is failing ordinary people (Mirror, May 12).

Instead of putting forward proper plans, all the PM offers are hollow promises. I just can’t believe how voters turned against Labour and gave Johnson a massive boost at last week’s elections. When are they going to see through his soundbites and headline-grabbing announcements?

Dave Mellor, Warrington

I see Boris seems to be trying to back out of fixing our broken care system, leaving the poor and vulnerable to suffer with his false promises. Now he has won at the polls he doesn’t care less about hard-up pensioners.

I was shocked to see how many short-sighted people there are in this country voting for the Tories. They will find out eventually, to their cost, when wages and working conditions decline and benefits are cut.

All the hard work by the unions and previous generations is being undone by these gullible Tory voters.

Michael Maher Ashton-under-Lyne

Gtr Manchester

Tuesday’s story of Elaine Yates caring for her dying husband and saying she can’t afford to pay for his funeral was heartbreaking (Mirror, May 11). Her husband Michael, who served his country for 12 years, suffers from diabetes, dementia and terminal cancer.

Elaine says only six years ago, they were paying £5.85 per month towards his care. In that time it has rocketed nearly a hundredfold to an obscene £535. This is yet another broken pledge by Boris Johnson, when he vowed to improve social care.

Sam Johnson, Blackpool

It is imperative that the Tories take action to deal with social care which has, for too long, been sidestepped and evaded by successive governments. Boris needs to step up to the plate and deliver.

He won’t be forgiven by the public if he fails to address such an important issue that involves the well-being of vulnerable adults and children.

M Smith Chatham Kent

The truth is the Tories have no proper plan to reform the UK’s crippled social care system. There is no substance to their grandiose proclamations and families will continue to be left to sell their homes to meet the exorbitant cost of caring for their loved ones.

Sadly, the public has no one to blame but themselves because they voted for this bunch of chancers currently running, or should I say ruining, the country.

C Sheridan, Manchester

My husband died suddenly three years ago. I tried to go back to work but it was too much as I need a new knee. I have £250 to live on a month. I’ve had to take equity out of my house as I don’t get my state pension until 2022 when I’ll be 66. I worked from 17, have never claimed benefits and was supposed to retire at 60.

Sue Baxter, Stockport Gtr Manchester

Although I agree that social care should be a top priority for the Government, there are certain aspects which have been neglected or rather ignored, especially by the Conservatives, for many years. These should be addressed immediately – unpaid carers and the meagre Carer’s Allowance.