May slaps down Jackie Doyle-Price in dementia tax row

Theresa May today said it is ‘fair and right’ the elderly can pass their homes down to their family in a slap down to one of her ministers.

Jackie Doyle-Price was filmed saying people who need care should not be ‘propped up’ by taxpayers while they are allowed to bequeath their homes to loved ones.

Her comments have sparked fierce backlash and reignited the dementia tax row which destroyed Mrs May’s election campaign.

And in a stern rebuke, the Prime Minister’s spokesman insisted the Government believes hard-working people should be able to pass their homes on to relatives.

The PM’s spokesman said: ‘We have said that where there are care bills that it is right that where people can contribute that they do so.

‘Where the Prime Minister is also clear is that where people have worked hard all their lives they should be able to pass that on to their children.’ 

Tory minister Jackie Doyle-Price has reignited the ‘dementia tax’ row that destroyed Theresa May’s election campaign by warning the elderly their homes are not assets to pass on (the minister is pictured making the remarks in Manchester earlier this month) 

Ms Doyle-Price was filmed (pictured) claiming taxpayers should not be 'propping up' people who need care while owning valuable property.

Ms Doyle-Price was filmed (pictured) claiming taxpayers should not be ‘propping up’ people who need care while owning valuable property.

He added: ‘It’s fair and right that where people have worked hard all their lives to build up these assets they can be passed on.

‘This is a complex issue with an ageing population. The government has said it will be bringing forward proposals in due course and that’s what we will do.

Ms Doyle-Price, a junior health minister, said people should not believe they are the ‘custodian of an asset to give their offspring’.

Speaking to a room of Tory activists in Manchester, Ms Doyle-Price said: ‘They shouldn’t be seen as that.’

The Conservative manifesto said people should be able to protect £100,000 of assets to pass on after the death – crucially including the family home – but would have to use the rest to fund their own care. 

Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn (pictured yesterday in the Commons) said the comments showed the Tories were still committed to the 'dementia tax' plan

Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn (pictured yesterday in the Commons) said the comments showed the Tories were still committed to the ‘dementia tax’ plan

Critics said this amounted to a ‘dementia tax’ on those who faces many years of care because of the illness. 

The Prime Minister infamously appeared at a press conference during the campaign to insist ‘nothing has changed’ as the Tories mounted a hasty retreat.  

The plan was dumped after Mrs May’s Commons majority was wiped out amid the backlash but Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn said today Ms Doyle-Price’s comments showed the Tories were still committed to the plan. 

In the footage released by Labour, Ms Doyle-Price says: ‘The reality is that the taxpayer shouldn’t necessarily be propping up people to keep their property and hand it on to their children when they’re generating massive care needs.

‘We’ve got to a stage where people feel that they are the custodian of an asset to give to their offspring but actually we need to get back to a stage where actually homes are for living in – they shouldn’t be seen as that.

Theresa May (pictured leaving No 10 yesterday) made a manifesto promise that people should be able to protect £100,000 of assets to pass on after the death - crucially including the family home - but would have to use the rest to fund their own care

Theresa May (pictured leaving No 10 yesterday) made a manifesto promise that people should be able to protect £100,000 of assets to pass on after the death – crucially including the family home – but would have to use the rest to fund their own care

‘People are now well into their pension ages sitting in homes that really are too big for their needs and we really do need to start having those conversations about what’s appropriate earlier.’

Mr Corbyn, who is visiting a community centre in Shipley, West Yorkshire, today to highlight Labour’s plans to invest £8 billion in social care over the next parliament, said the plan was ‘appalling’.

‘The idea of a ‘dementia tax’ was rightly rejected by the public during the general election. It is appalling that the Tories still want to force older people to pay for care with their homes,’ he said.

‘Labour will provide hope for older people and treat them with the respect they deserve by investing an extra £8 billion in social care and establishing a national care service to reverse years of Tory decline

‘It can’t be right that if you have a heart condition you’re treated on the NHS but if you have dementia you have to pay with your home.’ 

The Prime Minister infamously appeared at a press conference during the campaign (pictured in May) to insist 'nothing has changed' as the Tories mounted a hasty retreat

The Prime Minister infamously appeared at a press conference during the campaign (pictured in May) to insist ‘nothing has changed’ as the Tories mounted a hasty retreat

Read more at DailyMail.co.uk