Andy Burnham, now serving as Prime Minister, has confirmed his approach to income tax, National Insurance, and VAT in light of his plans to reform social care. In his second week at Number 10, the Makerfield MP has made a significant announcement regarding changes to the social care system, signalling a strong commitment to address its long-standing challenges.
Despite the ambitious nature of the reforms, questions have arisen about how the Labour Party government intends to fund them. To address these concerns, Burnham reassured the public that he will remain faithful to the party’s manifesto, which explicitly ruled out increases in income tax, National Insurance, or VAT.
He criticised previous governments for failing to tackle the social care crisis, calling it a “major dereliction of public duty.” Burnham acknowledged that there would be “difficult decisions” ahead on funding but emphasised his determination to implement effective solutions.
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“I think we owe it to the public before we talk about tax rises… you first have to look the public in the eye and say ‘Are we doing everything we can do from within what we’ve got?'” Burnham stated.
He further indicated that more comprehensive reforms would necessitate tough choices, which he promised to bring to the public at the appropriate time, ideally with their consent.
Reflecting on the personal impact of current care costs, Burnham described instances where individuals must sell their homes to pay for care as a “really awful process” and stated that in “an ideal world” this would not happen.
The Liberal Democrat leader, Sir Ed Davey, responded to Burnham’s commitment by describing their initial talks as “constructive” and expressed hope that continued discussions would foster consensus. Sir Ed highlighted the need for all parties to accept compromises, noting, “Everyone will have to accept things we might not like in order to work together - but I think that’s what the public want and expect us to do.”
Advocates in the care sector welcomed the Prime Minister’s focus on social care reform. James White, head of campaigns at Dementia UK, said: “Every day, Dementia UK hears from people navigating a fragmented system, often without specialist support, pushing them to crisis point. Bringing forward the Commission’s timetable is a positive step in recognising the urgent need for reform.”
Jon Spakes, chief executive at Mencap, added: “Putting social care at the top of the prime minister’s agenda is a significant and welcome step. Accelerating Baroness Louise Casey’s work is the right decision. This is too important to risk kicking into the long grass.”