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Burnham will take a social care reform plan to voters at the next general election
September 27, 2026
Prime Minister Andy Burnham, whose father Roy died this month after living with Alzheimer's, says he will put a social care reform plan to voters at a general election.
Andy Burnham, now prime minister, was health secretary under Gordon Brown and drew up a plan for a national care service in that role.
Key facts
- Burnham has put social care reform at the center of his agenda, often recalling his father Roy, who lived with Alzheimer's and died this month.
- Burnham charged earlier politicians with "cowardice" over their inaction on social care, a stance that carries political risk for him.
The BBC reports that Burnham has made social care reform a flagship policy and talks about the death this month of his father Roy, who lived with Alzheimer's. Reuters and Bloomberg carry the same account, and the BBC says Burnham accuses earlier politicians of cowardice for leaving the system unreformed. Reuters says in its headline that he intends to bring the reform to voters at the next election. “I don't think you can reform this system without consensus. I will develop a very clear plan and I will put that plan to the public at a general election and that will be where the plan gets tested and people will then be able to decide,” Burnham said, according to the BBC.
Funding is where the coverage sharpens. The BBC reports that Burnham will not rule out tax rises and says nothing is off the table, while also holding to the 2024 Labour manifesto, which ruled out raising national insurance, income tax or VAT. Bloomberg's headline suggests he may raise taxes to cover the cost, and the Financial Times headline goes further, saying he signals he will fight the election on tax rises to fund it. Chris Philp, the shadow home secretary, tells the BBC the Conservatives would not back higher taxes for the reforms.
The BBC also sets out the history: Theresa May faced a dementia tax charge in 2017, and Labour's own plan was branded a death tax before the party lost in 2010. Burnham's intent to reform social care and to seek a mandate at an election is corroborated; how he would pay for it remains open.
Still developing
The way any changes would be funded was still coming in at the time of this draft.
How settled the reporting is
Sources
- Reuters — UK's Burnham pledges to offer social care reform at next election | Reuters
- BBC — Andy Burnham proposes NHS-style social care system for England
- Financial Times — Andy Burnham signals he will fight election on tax rises to fund social care reform
Toggle read the full reports of 2 of the 5 outlets counted on this event. The other 3 are counted from their headlines and opening sentences.