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The UK Care Cap and Prime Ministers’ Promises on Care Fees

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UK Care Cap

The issue of care fees and the potential for individuals to lose their homes to cover these costs has been a contentious topic in UK politics for many years. Several Prime Ministers have made promises to address this issue by implementing a care cap, yet delays and changes in policy have been frequent. Here’s an overview of the key dates, promises, and delays related to the care cap in the UK.

2011: The Dilnot Commission
  • July 2011: The Dilnot Commission, chaired by economist Andrew Dilnot, proposed a cap on lifetime care costs to protect individuals from catastrophic care expenses. The suggested cap was £35,000.
2013: Care Act 2014
  • February 2013: The coalition government (Conservative-Liberal Democrat) accepted the principles of the Dilnot report. Prime Minister David Cameron announced a cap on care costs set at £72,000, to be implemented in April 2016.
  • May 2014: The Care Act 2014 was passed, legislating the £72,000 cap on care costs.
2015: Delay Announced
  • July 2015: The Conservative government, now led by David Cameron, postponed the implementation of the care cap from 2016 to 2020, citing financial pressures on local authorities.
2017: General Election and Further Delays
  • May 2017: In the run-up to the general election, Prime Minister Theresa May proposed significant changes to social care funding. Her manifesto included removing the planned cap and introducing a “dementia tax” where more people would pay for care through the value of their homes. After a public backlash, a cap was reintroduced but without a specific amount or implementation date.
  • June 2017: Following the election, the government announced that they would consult further on the best way to reform social care.
2019: Boris Johnson's Promises
  • July 2019: Upon becoming Prime Minister, Boris Johnson vowed to fix the social care crisis, promising to “end the injustice” of people being forced to sell their homes to pay for care.
  • December 2019: In the Conservative Party’s election manifesto, Johnson pledged to seek a cross-party consensus to bring forward a social care plan that would include a care cap.
2021: Proposal Under Boris Johnson
  • September 2021: Boris Johnson announced a new health and social care levy to fund the NHS and social care. This included a revised care cap set at £86,000, to be implemented in October 2023.
  • November 2021: The government confirmed that individuals would begin paying towards the cap starting in October 2023, with a “personal care cap” of £86,000.
2022: Further Delays
  • November 2022: The government, under Prime Minister Rishi Sunak, delayed the implementation of the care cap from October 2023 to October 2025, citing the need to stabilize the social care system and focus on immediate pressures.

Over the past decade, UK Prime Ministers have made numerous promises to implement a care cap to prevent individuals from losing their homes to pay for care fees. However, these promises have been repeatedly delayed, with the latest implementation date now set for October 2025. This ongoing uncertainty continues to leave many individuals and families concerned about their future financial security in the face of potential care needs.