Prime Minister Andy Burnham is set to unveil major reforms to England's social care system, with new research revealing widespread public support for progressive changes.
Prime Minister Andy Burnham is preparing to announce significant reforms to England’s social care system, with new research indicating strong public backing for ambitious changes. As the nation awaits the Prime Minister’s speech on Wednesday, a study led by Loughborough University has revealed that people in England are ready for substantial reforms, including progressive taxation to fund expanded access to care.
The research, which surveyed around 2,800 people, found that the public supports lowering out-of-pocket costs and funding improvements through progressive taxation rather than council tax or private insurance. Interestingly, the study revealed that people’s financial circumstances had little influence on their preferences, with broader values and political outlook playing a more significant role.
Public Support for Progressive Reforms
The study, funded by a British Academy/Leverhulme Trust Small Research Grant, explored which combinations of funding, eligibility, and priorities the public preferred. The findings suggest that politicians may have greater public support for ambitious reform than previously assumed.
Dr. Anthony Kevins from Loughborough University noted that people are willing to support meaningful reform, particularly when it is funded through progressive taxation and delivers broader access to care.
One of the most striking findings was that people’s views were not mainly driven by their own financial interests. Appeals based on fairness and shared values are likely to be much more effective than simply telling people what’s in it for them. The study also identified areas of unexpected political agreement, with respondents from across the political spectrum broadly agreeing on issues such as funding social care through wealth taxes and making eligibility more generous.
Prime Minister’s Commitment to Reform
In an interview with BBC journalist Laura Kuenssberg, Prime Minister Andy Burnham vowed to put all his political capital into fixing the “broken” social care system. He indicated that he remains committed to making services free at the point of need, a stance he has held since his time as health secretary in 2010. Burnham emphasized that without comprehensive reform, the NHS would “collapse under the weight” of caring for people who end up in hospitals due to a lack of adequate social care.
Burnham acknowledged that a whole new system takes time but expressed his determination to make major changes before the next election, due by 2029. He also indicated his openness to amending proposed immigration reforms that would affect care workers from overseas. The Prime Minister’s support for free social care aligns with his long-held beliefs, though he did not commit to implementing this before the next election.
The Impact on the NHS
Burnham’s case for reform is based on the impact on the NHS. He told Kuenssberg that “broken social care” is “the biggest cause of corridor care” and that billions of pounds are spent on people unnecessarily going into hospital from care in their homes or residential care homes. He stressed that the NHS will never get back to good waiting time standards until social care is fixed. Without social care reform, the NHS will struggle to care for people who did not need to end up in the system.
The Prime Minister has come to office with Baroness Louise Casey examining options for reform through her Independent Commission on Adult Social Care. Casey has indicated that she would be happy to speed up her timetable, and Burnham has expressed his willingness to expedite the process. However, he did not commit to a specific timeline for the reforms, stating that he would go as quickly as possible.
In response to questions about funding, Burnham stressed his commitment to Labour’s manifesto pledges not to raise VAT, national insurance, or income tax rates. He did suggest an inclination to reform council tax, whose current bands are based on valuations dating back to 1991. However, he did not commit to doing so, merely voicing his approval for the previous chancellor Rachel Reeves’ plan to introduce an additional levy on properties valued at £2m or more, from 2028.
Burnham also reviewed immigration plans for care staff, acknowledging the concerns raised by social care leaders. He indicated that he would look at responses to the consultation on the plans, showing his willingness to address the issues facing the social care sector.
