Ask an expert about the potential impact of the government’s planned social care reforms
A university lecturer Ian Hamilton, who specialises in mental health, will be on hand to answer your questions about the bill which has been backed by a slim majority of MPs
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Your support makes all the difference.Boris Johnson’s controversial social care scheme cleared the House of Commons by a margin of 272-246 on Monday night.
The majority of 26 was well below Mr Johnson’s 80-seat majority, with notable absentees including former PM Theresa May and ex-health secretary Jeremy Hunt.
The measure now faces further opposition as it moves to the House of Lords, where Baroness Finlay has said peers will “scrutinise” the government’s reforms “very carefully”.
She told BBC Radio 4’s Today programme on Tuesday morning: “It may be that we will say to the Commons, ‘can you think again?’ ... because, clearly, there’s a lot of disquiet”.
Changes to the Health and Care Bill announced just days ago will save the government £900m a year by making a proposed cap on lifetime social care costs significantly less generous for poorer pensioners, while allowing wealthy home-owners to pass the majority of their assets on to their children.
But what does the impact look like for those hardest hit if the bill becomes a reality and is approved by the House of Lords?
The Independent is hosting an expert ‘ask me anything’ event with Ian Hamilton, a researcher in the Department of Health Sciences, University of York. Ian is an Associate Professor of addiction and lectures in mental health and is keen to take your questions about the potential impact this social care bill could have on those hardest hit across the country.
Ian will be on hand on Wednesday, 24 November between 1pm and 2pm to take your questions. All you have to do to take part is submit your question to Ian in the comments section below.
Register to submit your question in the comments box below. If you’re not already a member, click “sign up” in the comments section to leave your question.
Don’t worry if you can’t see your question – they will be hidden until Ian joins the conversation to answer them.
Then join us live on this page from 1-2pm as he tackles as many questions as he can within an hour.
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