The social care reform debate intensified as Prime Minister Andy Burnham said the NHS could collapse without major changes to adult care.
Prime Minister Andy Burnham has made social care reform a central test of his time in office, warning the BBC that the NHS could collapse if the system is not changed. In his first major interview since becoming prime minister, Burnham said he would not want to leave office without bringing in substantial change to adult social care.
Burnham said the pressure on hospitals would keep growing if more people were forced into NHS care because social care was not working properly. He said he could not give a firm timeline for a new system before the next election, but insisted he would put whatever political capital he had into fixing what he called broken social care. Burnham first proposed a universal social care system in England in 2009, when he was health secretary under Gordon Brown.
The prime minister is due to set out his position on adult social care in a speech on Wednesday, but the BBC understands he will not unveil a full new system. Instead, he is expected to announce that the Casey Commission will be accelerated. The independent review, led by Baroness Louise Casey, is currently not due to report until 2028, and Burnham wants that timetable brought forward.
“The social care reform debate intensified as Prime Minister Andy Burnham said the NHS could collapse without major changes to adult care.”
Adult social care covers help that allows people to live more independently, including personal care and support with household tasks. Unlike the NHS, it is not free at the point of use. In England and Northern Ireland, people with savings above £23,250 do not qualify for council help with care costs, while Wales and Scotland use different rules. The issue has challenged successive governments, and Labour was criticised two years ago after it dropped plans for an £86,000 lifetime cap on care spending in England.
Burnham also used the interview to talk about welfare, saying the government may need to make it harder to claim benefits and should get serious about reducing the welfare bill. He said some support could become conditional on people taking opportunities to work, while stressing that he did not want to simply blame people on benefits. Kemi Badenoch has written to the prime minister saying he should rule out tax rises or extra borrowing to pay for social care reform, and that any solution must be fair to people who have saved and planned ahead. The broader message was clear: fixing social care reform may shape both the future of the NHS and the cost of government support for working-age and older adults alike.
Frequently asked questions
What is Andy Burnham planning to announce about social care?
He is expected to say the Casey Commission will be accelerated. The BBC understands he will not unveil a full new adult social care system on Wednesday.
Why does Burnham say social care reform is urgent?
He said hospital pressure will keep growing if more people are forced into NHS care because social care is not working properly. He warned the NHS could collapse if the system is not changed.
Has Burnham promised a new social care system before the next election?
No. He said he could not give a firm timeline for a new system before the next election, but he would put political capital into fixing social care.
How does adult social care funding currently work in England and Northern Ireland?
Adult social care is not free at the point of use. People with savings above £23,250 do not qualify for council help with care costs in England and Northern Ireland.
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