Andy Burnham will deliver a speech on social care next week, Downing Street confirmed, as part of a broader effort to demonstrate that the new prime minister is “hitting the ground running”. The address, scheduled alongside separate interventions on youth unemployment and devolution, targets what No 10 described as “some of the most difficult issues facing the country that have been ignored for too long”.
The announcement comes just days into Burnham’s premiership, a period already marked by pledges to end rough sleeping in England, cut VAT on domestic electricity bills, and reduce the cap on social care costs. The prime minister first proposed a universal system of social care in 2009, when he was health secretary under Gordon Brown, and has now vowed to spend political capital on the issue.
“Andy Burnham will address social care next week as No 10 aims to show he is 'hitting the ground running'.”
A No 10 source said: “Andy is going to run towards problems that have been neglected, giving people hope again.” The source added: “He has the courage to fix the most difficult issues that have been ignored for years and seen as impossible to resolve. He doesn’t accept that they are. They can’t be ignored any longer.”
Unlike the NHS, social care in England is not free at the point of use. People with savings above £23,250 are not entitled to help from their local council. Previous prime ministers have also promised reform. In 2019, Boris Johnson said his government would “fix the crisis in social care once and for all”. Five years later, Keir Starmer faced criticism for scrapping an £86,000 cap on lifetime personal care costs.
Liberal Democrat leader Sir Ed Davey, who has pushed for reform, said: “This has to be the start of a real effort to end the social care catastrophe.” He added: “I’ll fight to ensure family carers aren’t forgotten. We need cross-party consensus, and I hope the PM’s door is open.” Burnham responded on X: “It most certainly is, Ed. Let’s work together to find some common ground.”
Conservative chairman Kevin Hollinrake struck a skeptical note, questioning the financial viability of the plans. “Where’s the money coming from, Andy? We’re all dying to know,” he said. “It is all well and good for the prime minister to promise to fix the issues facing our country, but how is he going to pay for them?”
Polling suggests the public appetite for action is there. Luke Tryl of More in Common said: “Voters like that Burnham ‘has hit the ground running’.” Whether the prime minister can translate that early momentum into lasting reform remains an open question — one that his social care speech next week will be watched closely for clues.