Theresa May accused of lying about 'dementia tax' care amid backlash over U-turn

Critics said government trying to 'to pull the wool over people's eyes'

The Conservative poll lead has slumped following the U-turn (Stefan Rousseau/PA Wire)

Theresa May has been accused of lying about the ‘dementia tax’, amid a damaging backlash over her social care policy U-turn.

Critics said the Tories were trying to “to pull the wool over people's eyes” and could not be trusted.

The Conservatives have been struggling to limit the fallout after the Prime Minister said “nothing has changed” about her party’s plans to shake up social care, despite announcing a cap on costs.

But the original manifesto promise – which said the value of elderly people's properties would be taken into account when calculating how much they should pay for care – rejected limiting costs because they would “mostly benefit a small number of wealthy people”.

Opposition politicians quickly hit out at the Conservatives’ turnaround from a manifesto promise released less than a week ago.

Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn said: “They haven't explained to the millions of people who are desperately worried at the moment about what kind of care they are going to get in the future, desperately worried for children as well about how their parents are going to be looked after.

“This is a government in chaos and confusion.”

Former party leader Ed Miliband said on Twitter: “This isn't just an incompetent non U-turn, it's a lie. Nobody mentioned a cap because there wasn't going to be one.”

He added the hash tag “#takingpeopleforfools”.

Liberal Democrat leader Tim Farron also hit out at the U-turn, accusing the Prime Minister of using “weasel words”.

He said: "As Theresa May has made clear herself, nothing has changed and her heartless dementia tax remains in place.

"This is a cold and calculated attempt to pull the wool over people's eyes. Theresa May still wants to take older people's homes to fund social care."

And Scottish National Party leader Nicola Sturgeon tweeted: "PM not so strong and stable after all ... and can't be trusted to protect pensioners."

The Conservatives’ robust lead in poll ratings dropped on Monday following the confusion surrounding the policy, and observers said Theresa May’s self-defined image as a ‘strong and stable’ leader was in jeopardy.

The cap is yet to be announced but pressure on the Prime Minister is not likely to abate until it is.

Under the original manifesto plans – which have been strongly criticised – homes worth more than £100,000 would be considered an asset which could be used to pay for care costs.

But nine out of ten homes fall into this category, according to Liberal Democrat research, including half of all homes in the poorest areas of the country.

A cap on care costs was originally recommended in 2001 by Sir Andrew Dilnot but it was dismissed by successive governments.

Speaking on BBC Radio 4's World At One, Sir Andrew said: "Only a few days ago the Government was saying a cap was not a good idea.

"I think they've now recognised it is a good idea and I think those who want to see a sensible system put in place simply need to keep the pressure up over the next few months so we do end up with a system that can work."