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Theresa May performed an emergency U-turn today by promising to cap the so-called “dementia tax”.

The Prime Minister bowed in the face of a major Tory revolt over plans to increase the amount that elderly homeowners and savers will pay towards their care in old age.

In a reversal just four days after her manifesto was published, Mrs May said there will be an upper limit to the amount taken from people’s estates after their death. “We will make sure there’s an absolute limit on what people need to pay,” she said in a speech launching the Welsh version of the manifesto.

One senior Conservative, former deputy Speaker Nigel Evans, said she had not gone far enough and should unveil the exact level of the cap before polling day. Some Tories were suggesting £150,000, £200,000 and £300,000 as possible levels.

Ministers said the upper limit would be set only after a consultation, starting with a green paper on care issues this summer.

Today, the Prime Minister shook her head as journalists accused her of abandoning “strong and stable leadership”, of having “buckled under pressure” and of being “weak and wobbly”. The manifesto had offered increased protection for the savings of many people, raising the amount of assets protected from being seized to £100,000 from the current £23,250 level in England. However, it extended the principle that homes could be counted as assets to cover bills for care at home, as well as care in residential homes. Polls suggest the proposal alarmed voters, with the Tory lead falling dramatically although still showing Mrs May as well ahead.

She echoed Donald Trump’s language by accusing Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn of making “fake claims” about the policy. Tories said she was referring to him saying the party had “asset-stripped the ill by forcing those who need social care to pay for it with their homes”.

Her announcement came a day after Work and Pensions Secretary Damian Green denied in a BBC interview that any concessions were on the cards. It followed protests from Tory candidates who reported that homeowners were anxious and furious that hundreds of thousands of pounds could be seized from their children’s inheritance.

More worryingly for ministers, the row injected life into the Labour and Lib-Dem campaigns. Yesterday, Foreign Secretary Boris Johnson appeared to hint the party may rethink the plans, dubbed a “dementia tax” by Labour.

Downing Street denied a U-turn, saying it was consistent with the manifesto, which promised there would be a green paper on “system-wide issues” over elderly care. Others said it was the first time in memory that a key manifesto pledge had been altered before polling day. Nick Clegg called it “Theresa May’s manifesto meltdown”.

Tory Geoffrey Clifton-Brown, one of those who urged a cap, welcomed the move. The candidate for The Cotswolds said: “This is what people have been asking for on the doorstep. I have people whose homes are worth £300,000 to £500,000 who feared that they could lose nearly everything they had worked and saved for.” He called for the upper limit to be £150,000.

General Election 2017 Campaign - In pictures 43 show all General Election 2017 Campaign - In pictures 1/43 Jeremy Corbyn joins leaders for the BBC's Election Debate Stefan Rousseau/PA 2/43 Prime Minister Theresa May samples cheese at the Royal Bath and West Show in Shepton Mallet Leon Neal/Pool/Reuters 3/43 First Minister Nicola Sturgeon during the launch of the SNP General Election manifesto at Perth Concert Hall Jane Barlow/PA 4/43 Former Deputy Prime Minister Nick Clegg at the launch in central London of a Liberal Democrats campaign poster attacking the Conservatives' school meals policy Victoria Jones/PA 5/43 Jeremy Corbyn appears on The One Show BBC 6/43 Liberal Democrats leader Tim Farron and the party's local candidate Sir Simon Hughes are given a baking lesson at Comptoir Gourmand, an artisan bakery in Bermondsey, London Gareth Fuller/PA 7/43 Prime Minister Theresa May answers questions from the studio audience during a joint Channel 4 and Sky News general election programme recorded at Sky studios Stefan Rousseau/PA 8/43 Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn is interviewed by Jeremy Paxman during a joint Channel 4 and Sky News general election programme 'May v Corbyn Live: The Battle for Number 10' at Sky studios Stefan Rousseau/WPA Pool/Getty Images 9/43 Home Secretary Amber Rudd (left) and Shadow Home Secretary Diane Abbott appearing on the BBC One current affairs programme, The Andrew Marr Show. PRESS ASSOCIATION Photo. Picture date: Sunday May 28, 2017. Abbott has said she no longer opposed the security services as she insisted her time as a graduate civil servant would prepare her for becoming home secretary Jeff Overs/BBC/PA 10/43 A new poster by the Green Party featuring pictures of the Prime Minister and Foreign Secretary either side US Preseident Donald J Trump Green Party/PA 11/43 Conservative party leader Theresa May during the Welsh Conservative manifesto launch at Gresford Memorial Hall, Gresford, Wrexham Stefan Rousseau/PA 12/43 Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn with former Labour deputy prime minister John Prescott during General Election campaigning in Hull Chris Radburn/PA 13/43 A man is arrested after protesting against fox hunting as Theresa May arrives at the Welsh Conservative manifesto launch at Gresford Memorial Hall, Gresford, Wrexham Stefan Rousseau/PA 14/43 Green Party co-leaders Caroline Lucas and Jonathan Bartley launch the Green Party's 'Green Guarantee' of key priorities for the party at a general election campaign event in London AFP/Getty Images 15/43 Julie Etchingham presents the ITV Leaders' Debate, a live two-hour debate with Caroline Lucas, Tim Farron, Leanne Wood, Paul Nuttall, Nicola Sturgeon ITV/PA 16/43 Conservative party leader Theresa May during her party's general election manifesto launch in Halifax Danny Lawson/PA 17/43 Demonstrations take place before the arrival of Prime Minister Theresa May as she launches the Conservative Party Election Manifesto in Halifax Getty Images 18/43 Britain's Chancellor of the Exchequer Philip Hammond listens as Britain's Prime Minister Theresa May speaks during an election campaign event in east London Ben Stansall/AFP/Getty Images 19/43 Labour Party Leader Jeremy Corbyn launches the party‚'s manifesto at the University of Bradford, in Bradford Nigel Roddis/EPA 20/43 Prime Minister Theresa May meets Cathy Mohan at Abingdon market in Oxfordshire during an General Election campaign visit Stefan Rousseau/PA 21/43 Liberal Democrat leader Tim Farron leaves the Royal College of Nursing conference at Liverpool Arena and Convention Centre following a General Election campaign visit Gareth Fuller/PA 22/43 Screengrab taken from Facebook Live broadcast, hosted by ITV News of Prime Minister Theresa May answering questions sent in by users of the social media website, with presenter Robert Peston ITV News 23/43 Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn speaking about national security and foreign policy at Chatham House in Londo David Mirzeoff/PA 24/43 Jeremy Corbyn the leader of Britain's opposition Labour Party holds one year old Angelo during a campaign event in Harlow, Essex Neil Hall/Reuters 25/43 Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn reads with children as he visits Brentry Children Centre in Bristol on 21 April 2017 during Labour's election campaign. Steve Parsons/PA 26/43 Jeremy Corbyn looks around as he arrives at Savoy Place. His vehicle hit BBC Cameraman Giles Wooltorton on the way into the garage entrance Neil P. Mockford/Getty Images 27/43 British Trade Union leader Len McCluskey falls on the steps outside the Clause 5 Labour meeting to finalise the Labour manifesto in Londo Andy Rain/EPA 28/43 Pro-EU campaigner Gina Miller breaks down after receiving an ovation from the crowd during her speech at the Convention on Brexit in central London Andy Rain/EPA 29/43 The Liberal Democrat party campaign bus is unveiled at an event at the Harts Boatyard on 01 May 2017 in Surbiton Leon Neal/Getty Images 30/43 Co-Leader of the Green Party, Caroline Lucas, speaks during the launch of the Green Party Brexit policy at the Space Studio in London Stefan Rousseau/PA 31/43 The Liberal Democrat party leader Tim Farron listens to a speech during an event at the Harts Boatyard on May 1, 2017 in Surbiton Leon Neal/Getty Images 32/43 Anti-racism protesters speak to the media after being removed ahead of UKIP Leader Paul Nuttall's speech Jack Taylor/Getty Images 33/43 UKIP Leader Paul Nuttall gestures as he makes a speech as the party launch their general election campaign at the Marriott County Hall Hotel on 28 April 2017 in London Jack Taylor/Getty Images 34/43 Britain's opposition Labour party Leader Jeremy Corbyn walks past a bus shelter with Alan Whitehead, Labour MP for Southampton, and local councillor Satvir Kaur (right), before meeting local residents Adrian Dennis/AFP/Getty Images 35/43 Shadow home secretary Diane Abbott Diane leaving Four Millbank in Westminster, London, following her stumbling explanation of how the party would fund its plans for 10,000 extra police in an interview that left her struggling to do the sums live on air. Victoria Jones/PA 36/43 Philip Hammond and David Davis at a General Election campaign event in Central London Jeremy Selwyn 37/43 Pensioner Malcolm Baker confronts Liberal Democrat leader Tim Farron while he was the election campaign trail in Kidlington, near Oxford Sam Lister/PA 38/43 Prime Minister Theresa May eats chips as she meets with residents in Mevagissey, south-west England Dylan Martinez/AFP/Getty Images 39/43 Conservative party handout of Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn on a new poster, warning that families face a tax and debt bombshell under Jeremy Corbyn's leadership Conservative Party/PA 40/43 Nick Clegg delivers a campaign speech on the European Union at the National Liberal Club in London Stefan Rousseau/PA 41/43 Ukip leader Paul Nuttall (left) eats grapes during a walkabout in Dudley town centre in the West Midlands, with Ukip West Midlands MEP Bill Etheridge (right) and Phil Durnell, West Midlands Metro Mayor candidate Richard Vernalls/PA 42/43 Former Labour Party leader Ed Miliband retweeted a photo of him mowing a lawn whilst canvassing in his Doncaster North constituency Jane Nightingale 43/43 Prime Minister Theresa May makes a statement on 18 April calling for a general election Dan Kitwood/Getty Images 1/43 Jeremy Corbyn joins leaders for the BBC's Election Debate Stefan Rousseau/PA 2/43 Prime Minister Theresa May samples cheese at the Royal Bath and West Show in Shepton Mallet Leon Neal/Pool/Reuters 3/43 First Minister Nicola Sturgeon during the launch of the SNP General Election manifesto at Perth Concert Hall Jane Barlow/PA 4/43 Former Deputy Prime Minister Nick Clegg at the launch in central London of a Liberal Democrats campaign poster attacking the Conservatives' school meals policy Victoria Jones/PA 5/43 Jeremy Corbyn appears on The One Show BBC 6/43 Liberal Democrats leader Tim Farron and the party's local candidate Sir Simon Hughes are given a baking lesson at Comptoir Gourmand, an artisan bakery in Bermondsey, London Gareth Fuller/PA 7/43 Prime Minister Theresa May answers questions from the studio audience during a joint Channel 4 and Sky News general election programme recorded at Sky studios Stefan Rousseau/PA 8/43 Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn is interviewed by Jeremy Paxman during a joint Channel 4 and Sky News general election programme 'May v Corbyn Live: The Battle for Number 10' at Sky studios Stefan Rousseau/WPA Pool/Getty Images 9/43 Home Secretary Amber Rudd (left) and Shadow Home Secretary Diane Abbott appearing on the BBC One current affairs programme, The Andrew Marr Show. PRESS ASSOCIATION Photo. Picture date: Sunday May 28, 2017. Abbott has said she no longer opposed the security services as she insisted her time as a graduate civil servant would prepare her for becoming home secretary Jeff Overs/BBC/PA 10/43 A new poster by the Green Party featuring pictures of the Prime Minister and Foreign Secretary either side US Preseident Donald J Trump Green Party/PA 11/43 Conservative party leader Theresa May during the Welsh Conservative manifesto launch at Gresford Memorial Hall, Gresford, Wrexham Stefan Rousseau/PA 12/43 Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn with former Labour deputy prime minister John Prescott during General Election campaigning in Hull Chris Radburn/PA 13/43 A man is arrested after protesting against fox hunting as Theresa May arrives at the Welsh Conservative manifesto launch at Gresford Memorial Hall, Gresford, Wrexham Stefan Rousseau/PA 14/43 Green Party co-leaders Caroline Lucas and Jonathan Bartley launch the Green Party's 'Green Guarantee' of key priorities for the party at a general election campaign event in London AFP/Getty Images 15/43 Julie Etchingham presents the ITV Leaders' Debate, a live two-hour debate with Caroline Lucas, Tim Farron, Leanne Wood, Paul Nuttall, Nicola Sturgeon ITV/PA 16/43 Conservative party leader Theresa May during her party's general election manifesto launch in Halifax Danny Lawson/PA 17/43 Demonstrations take place before the arrival of Prime Minister Theresa May as she launches the Conservative Party Election Manifesto in Halifax Getty Images 18/43 Britain's Chancellor of the Exchequer Philip Hammond listens as Britain's Prime Minister Theresa May speaks during an election campaign event in east London Ben Stansall/AFP/Getty Images 19/43 Labour Party Leader Jeremy Corbyn launches the party‚'s manifesto at the University of Bradford, in Bradford Nigel Roddis/EPA 20/43 Prime Minister Theresa May meets Cathy Mohan at Abingdon market in Oxfordshire during an General Election campaign visit Stefan Rousseau/PA 21/43 Liberal Democrat leader Tim Farron leaves the Royal College of Nursing conference at Liverpool Arena and Convention Centre following a General Election campaign visit Gareth Fuller/PA 22/43 Screengrab taken from Facebook Live broadcast, hosted by ITV News of Prime Minister Theresa May answering questions sent in by users of the social media website, with presenter Robert Peston ITV News 23/43 Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn speaking about national security and foreign policy at Chatham House in Londo David Mirzeoff/PA 24/43 Jeremy Corbyn the leader of Britain's opposition Labour Party holds one year old Angelo during a campaign event in Harlow, Essex Neil Hall/Reuters 25/43 Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn reads with children as he visits Brentry Children Centre in Bristol on 21 April 2017 during Labour's election campaign. Steve Parsons/PA 26/43 Jeremy Corbyn looks around as he arrives at Savoy Place. His vehicle hit BBC Cameraman Giles Wooltorton on the way into the garage entrance Neil P. Mockford/Getty Images 27/43 British Trade Union leader Len McCluskey falls on the steps outside the Clause 5 Labour meeting to finalise the Labour manifesto in Londo Andy Rain/EPA 28/43 Pro-EU campaigner Gina Miller breaks down after receiving an ovation from the crowd during her speech at the Convention on Brexit in central London Andy Rain/EPA 29/43 The Liberal Democrat party campaign bus is unveiled at an event at the Harts Boatyard on 01 May 2017 in Surbiton Leon Neal/Getty Images 30/43 Co-Leader of the Green Party, Caroline Lucas, speaks during the launch of the Green Party Brexit policy at the Space Studio in London Stefan Rousseau/PA 31/43 The Liberal Democrat party leader Tim Farron listens to a speech during an event at the Harts Boatyard on May 1, 2017 in Surbiton Leon Neal/Getty Images 32/43 Anti-racism protesters speak to the media after being removed ahead of UKIP Leader Paul Nuttall's speech Jack Taylor/Getty Images 33/43 UKIP Leader Paul Nuttall gestures as he makes a speech as the party launch their general election campaign at the Marriott County Hall Hotel on 28 April 2017 in London Jack Taylor/Getty Images 34/43 Britain's opposition Labour party Leader Jeremy Corbyn walks past a bus shelter with Alan Whitehead, Labour MP for Southampton, and local councillor Satvir Kaur (right), before meeting local residents Adrian Dennis/AFP/Getty Images 35/43 Shadow home secretary Diane Abbott Diane leaving Four Millbank in Westminster, London, following her stumbling explanation of how the party would fund its plans for 10,000 extra police in an interview that left her struggling to do the sums live on air. Victoria Jones/PA 36/43 Philip Hammond and David Davis at a General Election campaign event in Central London Jeremy Selwyn 37/43 Pensioner Malcolm Baker confronts Liberal Democrat leader Tim Farron while he was the election campaign trail in Kidlington, near Oxford Sam Lister/PA 38/43 Prime Minister Theresa May eats chips as she meets with residents in Mevagissey, south-west England Dylan Martinez/AFP/Getty Images 39/43 Conservative party handout of Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn on a new poster, warning that families face a tax and debt bombshell under Jeremy Corbyn's leadership Conservative Party/PA 40/43 Nick Clegg delivers a campaign speech on the European Union at the National Liberal Club in London Stefan Rousseau/PA 41/43 Ukip leader Paul Nuttall (left) eats grapes during a walkabout in Dudley town centre in the West Midlands, with Ukip West Midlands MEP Bill Etheridge (right) and Phil Durnell, West Midlands Metro Mayor candidate Richard Vernalls/PA 42/43 Former Labour Party leader Ed Miliband retweeted a photo of him mowing a lawn whilst canvassing in his Doncaster North constituency Jane Nightingale 43/43 Prime Minister Theresa May makes a statement on 18 April calling for a general election Dan Kitwood/Getty Images

Tory candidates urged Mrs May to “clarify” or “refine” the reforms. Mr Evans, seeking re-election as MP for Ribble Valley, said today: “We need clarity and to give answers and a generalisation of a consultation will no longer do. People need to know they are not going to see their life savings haemorrhaged at a time when they are looking to their family’s future.”

The storm centres on the decision by No 10 to ditch the Conservative 2015 commitment to limit bills for social care to £72,000. Ministers believe an upper limit cannot be too generous because the policy must ensure extra revenues are raised towards the bills for care for the elderly. Only 10 per cent of people have care costs of more than £100,000.

Health Secretary Jeremy Hunt told the Standard: “We want to make sure that people who have worked hard and saved up all their lifetimes do not have to worry about losing all their assets through a disease as random as dementia. That’s why we want to introduce an absolute limit on the amount of money anyone has to pay for their care.”