Legal news

Pensioners facing tax rises to pay for care reforms

Jonathan Winston Jonathan Winston
1 min read
This blog is more than 15 years old

A specific tax for pensioners is one of the options to be considered as ministers contemplate finding an extra £25bn a year to pay for social care funding.

The Dilnot Commission announced its proposals yesterday which include capping the amount that individuals have to pay for their long term care at £35,000 with the state then paying for the remainder of their care costs.

The government has not given the plans a full endorsement amid concern in the Treasury about the costs of implementing the plan which would be expected to top £3.7bn by 2025, which is over and above the £22bn increase in costs due to the country’s ageing population.

One option that the commission identified would be for pensioners to pay for the increase through taxation with the possibility that national insurance contributions could be extended to over-65s who are still in employment.

Health Secretary Andrew Lansley told the House of Commons: “In the current public spending environment, we have to consider carefully the additional costs to the taxpayer of the Commission’s proposals against other funding priorities.” He added that the government hoped for a cross-party consensus on the issue.

https://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/home-news/over65s-should-pay-national-insurance-2306960.html

Client feedback

I chose Winston Solicitors to deal with my wife's estate on the recommendation of a family member. I was very satisfied with the friendly attitude of the team. Everything was dealt with as quickly as possible bearing in mind that some documents needed to dealt with by a family member in America. i was kept informed of progress every step of the way. Wonderful service.
David
Michelle and Aishah were both very professional and helpful. This wasn't a straightforward conveyance but they had the relevant expertise to complete the sale without a problem.
Caroline
I used Winston Solicitors to sell our house and they were brilliant. Amr dealt with all the paperwork quickly and kept us updated the whole time. They made the entire sale smooth and stress free. We would definitely use them again and recommending them to family and friends.
Mohammed
I have worked with Winston Solicitors on a number of different legal matters, most recently conveyancing. On each occasion, they have been professional, friendly and helpful throughout. Whether providing advice, responding to queries, or simply keeping me updated on progress, their communication has always been excellent.I would have no hesitation in recommending Winston Solicitors and would be very happy to use their services again in the future.
Anonymous
My wife and I recently contacted Winstons Solicitors, with a view to update our Wills and talk about Lasting Power of Attorneys.We were introduced to Emily Spencer (Solicitor), who was friendly, very knowledgeable and talked to us at length with good communications and understanding of what we were asking for. Emily also took her time to go through our Wills and explaining about Lasting Power of Attorneys and what this meant regarding the health and financial sides.Emily has a professional manner and puts you at ease when explaining the legal side of Wills and Lasting Power of Attorneys, she goes through things carefully with understanding.She has been accessible throughout the processes, helpful with suggestions and replies to emails with effciency.Without hesitation we would recommend Winstons Solicitors, our experience has been smooth and faultless. It has been a pleasure dealing with Emily and Winstons Solicitors.
Kevin
Leasa Foster was extremely efficient and professional in handing out purchase.She was very experienced and able to advise us on potential legal issues before we even started progressing with searches.I would highly recommend her services.
Michael
Very thorough service and great communication throughout the whole process.
"Ruth"
We used Winstons to sort out our late fathers life interest trust. Emily was brilliant...very efficient, organised and knowledgeable.It was a complicated issue to us but Emily dealt with it quickly and efficiently...taking away the stress for us.
Mary
Contact Jonathan