UK PM Andy Burnham Unveils Plans for National Care Service, Promising Free Personal Care for Older People.
London:
UK Prime Minister Andy Burnham has unveiled plans for a new National Care Service aimed at transforming adult social care in England and providing greater financial security and dignity to older people in later life.
Under the proposed system, older people would receive free personal care based on their needs rather than their ability to pay, while the State Pension would continue to rise every year. The Government says the reforms are intended to address longstanding weaknesses in England’s social care system and reduce pressure on the National Health Service (NHS).
The National Care Service is planned for introduction in the next Parliament and would be developed gradually as funding, workforce capacity and care-provider capacity increase. The Government has said the service will be fully funded rather than financed through additional borrowing.
State Pension Triple Lock to Change from 2030
A central part of the Government’s funding plan involves changes to the State Pension Triple Lock.
The current Triple Lock will remain in place until April 2030. From then, pensions are proposed to rise by whichever is higher between inflation and 2.5 per cent, alongside a new mechanism designed to ensure the pension maintains its value relative to average earnings over time.
The Government estimates that the adjustment could reduce State Pension expenditure by around £15 billion a year by the end of the 2030s, rising to approximately £50 billion a year by 2050. These savings are intended to contribute towards building the National Care Service.
The Government says pensioners will remain protected against inflation and that the State Pension will not fall in cash terms.
Personal Care to Be Free
Under the proposed National Care Service, eligible older people would no longer have to pay charges for personal care, with support determined by individual need rather than financial circumstances.
The Government argues that the current system can produce significant differences in what people pay even when they have similar care needs. It says the existing arrangements can leave vulnerable people facing substantial costs for essential assistance with everyday activities.
However, the proposed service will not cover accommodation, food and other ‘bed and board’ costs. Existing means-tested arrangements for those costs will remain.
Councils will also continue to disregard the value of a person’s home in financial assessments when a partner or dependent relative remains living there. Deferred-payment arrangements will remain available for eligible people who need help avoiding the sale of their home during their lifetime to meet care costs.
Baroness Casey to Shape the New System
The Government has asked Baroness Louise Casey to lead work on how the National Care Service could be delivered in practice. Her independent commission is due to publish its recommendations in summer 2027, bringing forward the timetable for the review.
The commission is examining how a future care system could operate alongside the NHS while remaining focused on people’s individual needs.
A nationwide “Big Conversation on Care” has also been launched to give people across England an opportunity to express their views on the future of adult social care. The consultation is intended to help shape recommendations on who should receive support, what responsibilities families should have and how a future system should be funded.
Tackling Pressure on the NHS
Burnham has argued that reforming social care is closely linked to the future of the NHS. The Government says inadequate social care can contribute to pressure on hospitals, including delays in discharging patients who are medically ready to leave but cannot return home without appropriate support.
The proposed National Care Service is therefore intended not only to provide greater security for older people but also to strengthen the connection between health services, community support and social care.
Focus on the Care Workforce
The reform programme also places emphasis on the people who work in social care. Government plans include improving career progression, training and pay, with the aim of building a more integrated workforce alongside the NHS.
Earlier proposals have included work towards a Fair Pay Agreement for care workers and efforts to improve career pathways across health and social care.
Cross-Party Talks and Public Consultation
The Government has indicated that long-term reform will require broader political agreement. Cross-party discussions involving opposition parties have been part of the process, while the Big Conversation is intended to bring the public into the debate.
The Government’s stated objective is to move beyond repeated reviews of social care and establish a long-term system that people can rely on in later life.
A Major Reform Agenda
The proposed National Care Service represents a significant change to the way adult social care could be organised and funded in England. The Government says the combination of free personal care, a continuing annual rise in the State Pension and greater integration between health and social care is intended to provide greater certainty for older people and their families.
However, important details—including the precise eligibility rules, implementation timetable, workforce requirements and long-term funding arrangements—remain subject to the Casey Commission’s recommendations and the Government’s subsequent decisions.
The next phase of the process will therefore focus on gathering public views, developing detailed recommendations and determining how the proposed National Care Service can be introduced while maintaining sustainable public finances.
