Adults are delaying making care plans and are confused by government policy towards later life care, according to research.

A survey of 2,500 over-45s from financial services provider Just Group found that that almost half (47%) said they would delay making financial plans for residential later life care until the government brings forward new plans for funding long-term care.

More than half (53%) of respondents said that they felt “confused” by recent government announcements on the funding of residential care. The research also found that nearly two thirds (65%) of adults involved in organising later life care for a relative said later life care in the UK was not fit for purpose.

The previous government pledged to introduce a £86,000 cap on lifetime care costs by October 2025, a commitment which Labour had planned to fulfil but rowed back from to save money. In September Prime Minister Keir Starmer said the cap on care costs would be part of a ten-year plan for health and social care reform.

Three quarters (74%) of respondents to the survey said the UK should have a unified approach to care, as different rules across the home nations made the process more difficult.

More than half (57%) said it was difficult to find the right information, and 75% said the whole process was very stressful.

Stephen Lowe, group communications director at Just Group, said: “The fact that millions of people continue to put off making plans for later life care until they have clarity on government policy is a hugely concerning trend. It risks people being forced into decisions at the point of crisis without the necessary financial or practical preparations around how and where they would like later-life care.”