Is the govt prioritising inheritances over elderly care?

Experts have questioned if the government's elderly care reforms in the Dilnot report prioritise children's inheritance over the quality of care.

Speaking on BBC radio 4's Today programme, the former secretary of state for Wales John Redwood stated that the Dilnot report did not focus enough on ensuring that no elderly person is faced with inadequate care.

The Dilnot report proposed a new funding system for care where individuals would pay the first £35,000 or £50,000 of the costs of care, after which point the state would meet costs.

Under this scheme, taxpayers would be faced with an extra £1.7 billion a year in costs.

Mr Redwood commented: "Looking at the Dilnot report, which is a very good, detailed report, it had a bit too much on trying to protect the inheritance of the children of the elderly people concerned.

"We need to discuss the contribution [people] make as opposed to the contribution taxpayers make to afford it."

Published by Phil Hammond