Elderly 'to pay more for social care'

The government has been accused of penalising the most vulnerable in society by campaigners after it froze the threshold for social care help.

Social care is means-tested in England, meaning people with assets over £23,250 pay for home help or residential care.

The threshold normally rises each year, but will now be frozen for two years to help councils raise funds.

It will lead to elderly people paying for social care for longer until state help kicks in, Age UK said.

The announcement was made in a letter sent to councils in the past few weeks.