Andy Burnham said he would not rule out tax rises as he set out plans to overhaul adult social care in England, after years of what he called government inaction.
Speaking as the prime minister, Burnham described it as a “major dereliction of public duty” that successive administrations had failed to address the crisis. He said funding decisions would be “difficult”, but insisted he was determined to “get it right”.
His proposals include creating a new national care service, improving pay and training for care workers, and bringing adult social care into closer alignment with the NHS. Burnham also said a review of social care led by Baroness Casey would be published next summer rather than in 2028.
Funding Approach And Pay Commitments
After his speech, Burnham told reporters that he wanted to pursue reforms using existing budgets before considering new funding through taxes.
He said supporters of the changes should be able to answer whether the government was “doing everything we can do from within what we’ve got” before discussing tax rises. He added that announcements on pay and training for the social care workforce would be “fully funded”.
However, he said the wider programme would still require “difficult decisions”, which he said would be put to the country “at the right time” with the aim of proceeding with public consent.
Burnham said his preferred outcome would be to avoid forcing families to sell their homes to pay for care. He described home sales as an “really awful process”, and said proposals he previously raised when he was health secretary in 2009 were intended to reduce that risk.
He added that under an NHS-style model, he argued, people would contribute a little so that more of what they had “worked for” could be protected.
Baroness Casey Review Moves Earlier
Burnham said Baroness Casey’s review should consider how a national care service could be paid for and should look at ways to build a system that becomes “highly integrated” with the NHS.
The prime minister said he wants to focus “immediately” on the care workforce, pointing to an incoming fair pay agreement due to begin in 2028/29. He described it as a key “building block” of a national care service.
Adult social care provides support to help people live more independently, including assistance at home. Unlike the NHS, it is not free at the point of use. In England and Northern Ireland, people with savings worth more than £23,250 are not entitled to help with care costs from their council, while eligibility rules differ in Wales and Scotland.
Burnham said progress on cross-party solutions had failed repeatedly over decades, describing 22 attempts to make headway in almost 30 years. He said lasting reform would require parties to find “common ground”.
Cross-Party Talks And Funding Red Lines
Burnham held talks with Lib Dem leader Sir Ed Davey and Conservative shadow health secretary Stuart Andrew, aiming to secure cross-party backing for changes. Tory leader Kemi Badenoch did not attend. The prime minister did not invite Reform UK or the Green Party of England and Wales.
Andrew told BBC Radio 4’s PM programme that it was important for any funding plan to set “red lines”. He said finding money would be difficult but added there was “a significant amount of money in the system” that was not “in the right place”.
Sir Ed said the first “constructive” discussion left him feeling “hopeful” and that more meetings would be needed to build consensus. He said any solution had to place family carers “at its heart”, adding that his own disabled son needs round-the-clock care. He also said people would have to accept changes they may not like in order to agree a deal.
Reform leader Nigel Farage said his party was not invited because the government did not want to hear a “fresh” reforming voice. He said Reform would oppose a “death tax” and argued that “efficiencies” could reduce the cost of social care, while also saying delivery should be handled by local councils rather than being “centralised in Whitehall”.
Green social care spokesperson Ellie Chowns said if Burnham was serious about tackling the crisis differently, he should work with the Greens and other parties.
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30 July 2026
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