The Government's announcement on social care is going to hit young people and lower earning householders the hardest.
Worryingly, it has also now established three new principles. (thread)
inews.co.uk/news/politics/…
Worryingly, it has also now established three new principles. (thread)
inews.co.uk/news/politics/…
First, there will be no free or universal care system for the elderly and disabled. The user will pay and their assets will be liquidated in the process.
Second, that general taxation will not rise, nor will it be used to force the richest to bear the biggest burden.
Third, that the wealth of the richest will be protected - both by the cap on lifetime payments and by the refusal to contemplate taxing wealth to stop the funding gap.
Over time this will lead, as the Prime Minister boasted, to "profoundly conservative" outcomes.
The property wealth of elderly, middle class people in Southern England will be saved; the incomes of the working-age population will be raided.
The property wealth of elderly, middle class people in Southern England will be saved; the incomes of the working-age population will be raided.
Worse, as the NHS and social care systems integrate, the user pays principle will be extended, as can hypothecation.
Ultimately this should be seen as a Trojan horse for ending universal, free at the point of use, health care. Something the Tories have long hankered for.
Ultimately this should be seen as a Trojan horse for ending universal, free at the point of use, health care. Something the Tories have long hankered for.
For now, the Government will try to blame the impact of COVID-19 as the need for this tax increase.
But the truth is social care has been consistently and dangerously underfunded for many years.
But the truth is social care has been consistently and dangerously underfunded for many years.
This has resulted in a severe lack of care for the most vulnerable in our society, and the chronic underpayment and mistreatment of the workers delivering that care.
The tax on low-income earners won’t be nearly enough to address the chronic issues in our social care system.
The tax on low-income earners won’t be nearly enough to address the chronic issues in our social care system.
How could we fund social care fairly?
For starters, a 1% tax on millionaires alone would raise £260bn over five years.
Equalising capital gains tax and income tax would provide us with approximately £90bn over five years.
For starters, a 1% tax on millionaires alone would raise £260bn over five years.
Equalising capital gains tax and income tax would provide us with approximately £90bn over five years.
https://twitter.com/labourlewis/status/1435133355859841030?s=20
Effective, well-funded and compassionate social care is clearly possible. It does not need to come at the cost of taxing those earning the least in our society.
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