PM mulls tax break plan for middle-aged workers to tackle social care crisis

Theresa May is understood to be considering plans to give middle-aged workers tax breaks to help ease the cost of their parents' social care.

The Prime Minister is mulling over a policy to tackle the social care crisis which would work in a similar way to childcare vouchers.

That scheme sees workers sacrificing some of their salary in return for childcare vouchers of the same value, on which no tax is paid.

On Sunday, Mrs May said the Tories have been working on a "sustainable solution" for social care in the "longer term" to build on the £2 billion announced for the sector by Chancellor Philip Hammond in the Budget.

The news comes as the PM prepares for a campaign visit to the North West in which she is expected to meet voters on the doorstep as well as deliver a speech.

With the latest YouGov poll showing Labour closing the gap on the Tories to 13 points, leader Jeremy Corbyn will be in London as the party outlines plans for a "consumer rights revolution" which will introduce legal minimum standards for all rental homes.

Shadow housing secretary John Healey said the plans will empower renters to "call time on bad landlords" by setting standards to ensure homes are "fit for human habitation" and are needed because people have "fewer rights renting a family home than you do buying a fridge-freezer".

The proposals, which Labour would introduce if it wins the general election, include requirements for safe wiring and appliances, freedom from damp and vermin infestation, "appropriate" water and sewage facilities, appropriate facilities for preparing and cooking food, and general good repair.

The party would also introduce new powers for councils to license landlords and hit those who break the rules with "tough" fines.

Tim Farron will take the so-called Liberal Democrat "fightback" to a trio of marginal constituencies and urge voters to elect MPs from his party to strike a blow to Mrs May's "hard Brexit agenda".

The Lib Dem leader will be joined in three London seats by former cabinet ministers Sir Vince Cable and Sir Ed Davey, who are looking to make a comeback as MPs in the election, alongside the winner of the by-election which saw Zac Goldsmith ousted from the Commons, Sarah Olney.

Mr Farron will visit Tory-held Kingston and Surbiton, and Sutton and Cheam, as well as taking the fight to Labour in Hornsey and Wood Green, promising to "paint swathes of London and the country yellow again".

:: YouGov surveyed 1,612 British adults on April 27-28.