It is not widely known that the 'cap' on assets above which people in residential care must fund their own care is only £23,250 in England and Northern Ireland.

It is even less well known that elsewhere in the UK the cap is set at different levels. In Scotland, full self-funding only starts when the assets of the person in care exceed £28,000. However, following a recent increase in the limit by £10,000 in Wales, a Welsh resident needing care will now have their funding fully met by the state unless their assets exceed £50,000.