Care home 'fairer deal' pledge on savings cap

Allowing people to keep more of their savings instead of paying for care in old age is a "fairer deal" for "people who have played fair", Labour has said.

Less than four weeks from the assembly election, the parties are promising reforms to the current system.

People can currently keep £24,000 of their assets before having to pay to go into a care home.

Labour want to increase that figure to £50,000, while the Conservatives want a £100,000 limit.

Labour said it was estimated about a fifth of people in residential care in Wales were paying for it themselves, and 28% of those in nursing homes.

Health Minister Mark Drakeford said his party was "committed to giving people extra help in their old age, giving a fairer deal to people who have played fair and paid in".

"There are more than 15,000 people, aged over 65, living in either care or nursing homes across Wales," he said.

"People regularly raise with me the amount of this care they have to self-fund.

"By more than doubling the capital limit to £50,000, thousands of people in Wales will be able to keep £26,000 more of their hard earned savings to help them meet their needs in later life."

In March, the Conservatives announced they would raise the limit to £100,000.

Leader Andrew RT Davies said he would lead "a government that delivers dignity and security in old age".

Plaid Cymru want to scrap social care charges altogether, at a cost of £226m over two assembly terms.