The “dementia tax”, as it has been dubbed by critics, would see thousands of pensioners who own their properties having to pay for care they receive in their own homes.
Their homes would then have to be sold to pay their bills, after their deaths, after the Prime Minister axed a commitment to impose a cap on lifetime care costs of around £72,000.
The policy has been criticised as unfair because older people would receive free NHS care for conditions such as cancer – but be forced to pay for conditions treated at home, including dementia.
Over the weekend, several polls cut the huge Conservative lead to single figures, with evidence that the proposal has backfired on the doorstep.