The prime minister’s father has Alzheimer’s and does not recognise his son’s new job. Yet it is that experience, Andy Burnham says, that has convinced him the social care system is “broken” – and that he is prepared to “expend quite a lot of political capital” to fix it.
In a highly personal speech next week, Burnham will spell out his determination to start creating a National Care Service before the next general election, accelerating a process started by his predecessor, Keir Starmer. He will also announce he is bringing forward Louise Casey’s review into the sector, which was due to conclude in 2028.
“Andy Burnham considers exempting care workers from new immigration rules as he pushes for National Care Service.”
But in a move that could prove even more consequential, the prime minister is now thought to be considering exempting hundreds of thousands of existing care workers from the home secretary’s plans to toughen up the immigration system. Under proposals being weighed by Burnham, people already working in the sector could be granted widespread exemptions from Shabana Mahmood’s stricter right to remain rules.
The measure is not expected to feature in next week’s speech; it could come later this year once the Home Office has considered responses to a public consultation on the issue.
One person briefed on the plans said: “Andy is determined to do something about the social care system, and quickly. This is highly personal for him, and he will talk about why he wants to push some of it through before the election, even if that comes at a political price.”
Burnham, who tried and failed to reform social care as health secretary more than 15 years ago, told broadcasters this week: “I think it’s about being prepared to grasp the nettle. I’ve got personal experience of the system. My dad has Alzheimer’s, and you see what the staff have to put up with. It’s not their fault. The system’s broken.”
He added: “You can’t leave social care like this. And this is part of my criticism of Westminster. It has flinched over the years from these big decisions.”
The prime minister has previously argued for replacing inheritance tax with a 10% levy on all estates to pay for a universal care system, but those proposals were scrapped after the Conservatives labelled them a “death tax”. Currently, people in England get state-funded care only if they have less than £23,250 in assets; those with more must pay the entire cost themselves, with nursing home fees averaging £5,192 a month.
The financial strain is matched by a human one. The charity Carers UK reckons 2.6 million people have given up work due to unpaid caring for a loved one. Of those still working, 61% say it affects the jobs they can do, with a fifth settling for lower-paid or more junior roles.
Social care providers, meanwhile, say they are financially stretched and increasingly unable to deliver the services for which they have been contracted. Whether the exemption plan will be enough to stabilise a sector on the brink remains to be seen – but for Burnham, the clock is ticking.