Has Theresa May got the right financial balance for pensioners?

Theresa May unveils ‘difficult but necessary’ measures to pay for elderly care

Middle-class pensioners are set to lose benefits under Conservative plans to fund social care while means-testing will be introduced on winter fuel payments.

The Conservatives will also pass legislation to ensure nobody has to sell their home to pay for their care during their lifetime, and new rules will allow pensioners needing nursing home treatment to keep more of their assets.

Pensioners will stop paying for their own care once their savings and assets are down to £100,000. At present only £23,250 is protected.

But a person’s home will be counted among their assets when they are means-tested for domiciliary care (currently this only applies to people needing residential care) meaning more people will pay.

No-one will have to sell their home during their lifetime, as they will be able to borrow money which will be paid back from their estate after their death.

The party’s manifesto proposes ditching the “triple lock”, in which the pension is raised in line with the highest of average earnings, prices or 2.5%.

From 2020, its plan is to cut the 2.5% element, to leave a “double lock”.

What are your views? Has Theresa May got the right balance for pensioners? Have pensioners who consistently vote in general elections been targeted? Or is this a realistic solution to help fund social care with an ever growing ageing population and a shrinking pot of money? What would you do?