Another chapter begins for long-term care in England
Andy Burnham has plans to deal with long-term care in England.(1)
In March 2010, during the dying days of Gordon’s Brown’s Labour government, Andy Burnham was the Health Secretary. In that role, he published a White Paper on social care reform in England, proposing the establishment of a national care service. The new service was to be funded by state and individual contributions, but decisions on who would pay for what were deferred until after the impending election. In a surprise statement that contradicted what the then Chancellor had previously said, Burnham suggested that a compulsory levy on people’s estates after they have died had not been ruled out. That levy was instantly branded by the opposition as a ‘death tax’, a term that echoed around the subsequent election.(2)
Fast forward 16 years and now Prime Minister Andy Burnham is once again talking about a national care service. On this occasion, the next general election is up to three years away, but the older and wiser Burnham is now more careful in what he says about his plans for dealing with social care. His speech on the topic, given in a North London care home, contained three announcements:
Speeding up an existing review: In 2025, the Starmer government initiated a review into social care under Baroness Casey. It was due to issue a final report, including funding recommendations, in 2028. Burnham has brought that target forward to 2027. Casey’s report is the 23rd such review into social care.(1)
Focus on social care workforce: The Starmer government established a fair pay agreement for social care staff, due to start in 2028/29. Burnham wants to go further by lifting the social care workforce “closer to NHS standards”. He acknowledged that the lift would apply in terms of pay, but also in terms of training, wider support and job security.(1)
Cross-party approach: Perhaps it was the memory of 2010 that prompted Burnham to say he would aim for a cross-party approach. In practice, the goal looks likely to be unmet, as the Conservatives have offered their support conditional on no extra taxes or borrowing.(1)
Realistically, it remains unlikely any change will start to operate until the 2030s – if it survives the next election. So factoring in your potential long term care should be part of your overall financial planning.
Sources
(1) https://www.gov.uk/government/news/pm-sets-out-new-path-to-fix-social-care-together-29-july-2026
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