Burnham to propose social care plans at general election

Aims to be preventative

Jaskeet Briah
clock • 2 min read

Prime Minister Andy Burnham has said he will put forward plans to offer access to a free social care system in England at the next general election.

Speaking to the BBC, Burnham said a "broken" social care system "will in the end break the National Health Service if we leave it as it is". "You have to have a situation where the care system speaks the same language as the health system because at the moment, social care is charged for, provided on a very different basis, and the two just don't connect," Burnham said. "The worst of all worlds is happening in that the care system is so threadbare, it can't support people in their own homes or it can't support people in care homes or people can't afford to pay the charges, and then we...

To continue reading this article...

Join COVER for free

  • Unlimited access to real-time news, key trend analysis and industry insights.
  • Stay on top of the latest developments around health and wellbeing, diversity and inclusion and the cost of living crisis.
  • Receive breaking news stories straight to your inbox in the daily newsletter.
  • Members only access to monthly programme 'The COVER Review'
  • Be the first to hear about our CPD accredited events and awards programmes.

Join now

 

Already a Cover member?

Login

More on Regulation

Badenoch targeting IHT exclusion for family homes

Badenoch targeting IHT exclusion for family homes

Couples would also be able to pass on £1m tax free

Sophia Panayi
clock 08 October 2026 • 2 min read
Closing the protection gap will require advisers to think differently

Closing the protection gap will require advisers to think differently

“We won't close it through the actions of one adviser, one firm or one network”

Toni Smith
clock 30 September 2026 • 4 min read
Triple lock to change in 2030: Burnham

Triple lock to change in 2030: Burnham

PM said state pension to ‘rise at least by prices [inflation] or 2.5%’

Isabel Baxter
clock 29 September 2026 • 3 min read