Questions over government care cap ©Hand out General views of a nursing home in the UK Campaigners are calling for the government to concede that its new "capped" system for care home fees falls short of covering all costs for elderly individuals entering into care. Radical reforms, to be introduced from 2016, will see a new £72,000 cap introduced on what adults are expected to contribute toward their care bills in their lifetime. The reforms, first announced in February, will also see additional financial help for people with less than £118,000 in assets, and from 2015, a scheme to prevent anyone having to sell their home during their lifetime to pay for care costs. Under the government's proposals, detailed in a consultation document launched on Thursday, local authorities will step in to pay care costs once the £72,000 cap has been exhausted. Currently only individuals with assets of less than £23,250 in England will get help from the state with care fees. Up to 40,000 individuals a year sell their homes to pay care home fees, which can range between £25,000-£35,000 a year. "These reforms bring reassurance to millions of people by ending the existing unfair system so no one need face unlimited care costs or the prospect of selling their home in their lifetime," said Norman Lamb, minister for care and support. No one wants to face an unknown future. This overhaul of the way care is paid for gives people the certainty and peace of mind we all deserve. The consultation outlines details for the new deferred payment scheme to be offered by local authorities in England from April 2015. It also sets out proposals for a range of financial products, to help people prepare for later life care. But campaigners said it was crucial that the public understood that only "eligible" costs set by the local authority would count toward the £72,000 cap, meaning the amount individuals actually spend could be much higher. "The £72,000 is only for basic level, local authority rate care, not a higher standard and it will not include the cost of board and lodging which is likely to be an extra £12,000 a year on top of any care costs," said Ros Altmann, economist and former policy adviser to the government. Therefore, most people will spend over £100,000 before getting any state help and will most likely pay for all their social care themselves. Under the reforms, local authorities will only begin to take into account what an individual spends on their care, once they have been assessed as having "substantial" care needs. "People may be surprised that even those with quite considerable care needs may not have access to the system," said Age UK, campaigners for the elderly. The consultation ends on October 25.