During a visit to a care home in north London, the minister addressed residents, staff, volunteers and social‑care stakeholders, describing England’s social‑care system as “as unfair as American healthcare.”
He pledged to use all available political capital to tackle the sector’s shortcomings, acknowledging that past attempts have struggled to bring lasting change.
Since a Royal Commission was established in 1997, its 1999 report and 22 subsequent reviews have yet to produce a comprehensive solution.
In 2017, a policy that would raise the asset threshold for home care to include home values was criticized as a “dementia tax,” a label that contributed to electoral losses for the government at the time.
Earlier, a 2010 proposal for a National Care Service funded by a 10% levy on estates after death was described by opponents as a “death tax,” and that same year’s election also resulted in a defeat for the party introducing the plan.
Burnham noted that launching reforms close to election periods can limit public discussion and acceptance, especially given the sensitive nature of care and the need for significant funding.
Recent polling suggests a positive swing for his party, but it remains unclear whether a renewed focus on social care will maintain that momentum.
