KENT County Council’s leader has appealed directly to the Prime Minister to make growing old in north Kent less expensive.

Councillor Paul Carter has co-signed a letter to David Cameron with two other council leaders demanding the government set a limit on charges for elderly care.

He is joined by Hampshire and Buckinghamshire’s Tory council leaders in backing a proposal by economist Andrew Dilnot that no-one should have to pay more than £35,000 for care in later life.

Cllr Carter has also set-up an e-petition calling for the cap to be in place by 2015 with a plea for signatures claiming: "Ignoring this information could seriously damage your wealth."

The petition added: "Paying for care can be overwhelming and often results in people having to sell their homes and lose their life savings.

"The Dilnot Report has identified a way to cap the horrendous costs some families and individuals have to pay for their care in their old age.

"Implementing Dilnot would cost the Government about £1.7 billion a year.

"Please show your support for these recommendations by signing our petition now."

In the letter Cllr Carter is joined by Cllrs Ken Thornber (Hampshire) and Martin Tett (Buckinghamshire) in arguing changes to corporation tax and a reduction in the UK’s EU funding contribution and foreign aid budget could help pay for Dilnot.

It said: "Day by day hardworking families in need of intensive social care support, who have never received any state benefit during their lifetime, are losing their hard earned life savings and homes."

"In a civilised society, providing for our hard working elderly and vulnerable should be a government's top priority."

In July 2011 the Dilnot Commission recommended an individual's contribution towards their social care costs should be capped.

The report said a cap of £35,000 was "the most appropriate and fair figure".

You can sign the Make Dilnot happen by 2015 petition at epetitions.direct.gov.uk/petitions/43330