ALL care home residents in Wales will be able to keep up to £50,000 of their savings, investments or other capital from today - a increase of £10,000 on the current limit.

The increase in the capital limit used by councils in Wales when charging for residential care remains the most generous across the UK and is now more than double the upper allowance of £23,250 in England and Northern Ireland. In Scotland the upper limit is £28,000.

The capital limit determines whether a person who requires residential care pays the full cost, or whether they receive financial support towards the cost from their council.

Deputy minister for health and social services Julie Morgan - who will visit Pobl Group's Bryn Gaer independent living scheme in Gaer, Newport, this morning - said the Welsh Government is committed to supporting older people, and those requiring care, to live the lives they want to lead.

"I’m delighted to say that we are fulfilling our pledge, two years earlier than we originally planned, to allow people to keep up to £50,000 of their own savings to use as they wish, without having to use this to pay for their care," she said.

“The increase once again leaves Wales in the enviable position as having the highest capital limit in the UK.”

The capital limit increase is supported by a further £7 million a year, included in Wales' local government settlement for 2019/20. It brings the total funding provided to councils to support implementation of this policy to £18.5m a year.

Unlike healthcare, social care and support are chargeable. A council can make a charge for the care and support it provides or arranges for a person. This includes homecare, day care and other non-residential care, as well as residential care.