Conservative leader Kemi Badenoch has urged the Prime Minister not to raise taxes to fund reforms for adult social care. In a letter, Badenoch offered to collaborate with the Prime Minister on the issue, emphasizing her party's willingness to work across the political aisle.
This call for a tax-neutral approach to social care reform comes as the issue continues to be a prominent concern. Andy Burnham, who first proposed a universal social care system in England in 2009 when he served as health secretary, has pledged to prioritize the matter if he becomes prime minister. His proposal aims to address what is often described as a "social care catastrophe."
Previous governments have also attempted to tackle the social care crisis. In 2019, then-Prime Minister Boris Johnson stated his Conservative Party would "fix the crisis in social care once and for all." More recently, in July 2024, Labour faced criticism for abandoning plans to implement an £86,000 cap on lifetime personal care costs for individuals in England.
Liberal Democrat leader Sir Ed Davey has also been a vocal advocate for social care reform. He stated on Saturday that this moment must be "the start of a real effort to end the social care catastrophe" and expressed a commitment to ensuring family carers are not overlooked. Sir Ed added that cross-party consensus is necessary and hoped the Prime Minister's door would be open to discussions. Burnham responded to Davey's remarks on X, formerly Twitter, stating, "It most certainly is, Ed. Let's work together to find some common ground."