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Will Boris Johnson will break his manifesto pledge not to increase National Insurance in order to pay for social care in England?

(204 Posts)
PippaZ Fri 03-Sep-21 12:33:00

It seems he may well do under plans that are the subject of negotiations between Downing Street and the Treasury.

It seems Downing Street wants a 1 per cent increase (because then they would only be putting up National Insurance by the same amount as Tony Blair back in 2002) while the Treasury wants 1.25 per cent (because that would raise more money). [New Statesman]

Currently, you will have your care (to the grave) paid for if you have less than £23,250 in assets. It appears the cap is to rise to £100,000: making many more people eligible for residential care.

One way or another Government will break its manifesto promise to leave National Insurance, value-added tax and income tax flat or falling. With their majority, it will pass the House of Commons. Of course, they will explain that this is NI in the hope that enough people do not realise that NI is a tax like any other.

I don't know about anyone else thinks, but if this is what they chose to do, isn't it very like TM's "death tax".

GrannyGravy13 Wed 08-Sep-21 12:49:16

My Father had vascular dementia, he had a fall and was taken to hospital by ambulance were they decided he couldn’t live at home anymore. After a period of approximately 6 weeks he was transferred to a home specialising in dementia/Alzheimer’s this was fully funded by NHS, the only things Mum paid for was chiropodist and haircuts.

We couldn’t fault the care, whilst our friend in the next Borough, same County couldn’t get any funding at all for her Mum with advanced dementia.

MargaretinNorthant Wed 08-Sep-21 14:44:59

Thank you Doodledog, I don’t often have a rant about things, but this in particular makes me so angry. If I could have had carers coming in or someone to sit with him at night so that I got a nights sleep I would have managed to keep him at home. The Dr recommended he went into the care home as I was making myself ill trying to do it all. Well, it’s water under the bridge now, but I would like to think no one else had it to go through, but I think that’s a vain hope.

maddyone Wed 08-Sep-21 16:03:37

I’m so sorry to hear your story Margaretin, it truly is a shame that so many areas don’t think dementia is an illness that should qualify for funded care.
My own mother has just gone into care following a third fall this year. She suffers from heart failure which has worsened after the fall and she can no longer get into or out of bed by herself, she needs assistance when going to the toilet, she has to be showered and dressed and undressed, and so on. The heart failure is causing her to be unable to be independent in any way. She is taken everywhere in a wheelchair now. She has been told she will no longer be eligible for NHS funding and she will be paying nearly £1300 per week for her care. My point is that heart failure is a medical condition but she will not receive any funding until her money and flat are gone which will not be very long at those prices as she is not a wealthy woman. Fair? I don’t think so. Cradle to grave? I don’t think so either.