Andy Burnham is to convene cross-party talks on the future of social care in England, as he prepares to set out his approach to reforming a system described by Baroness Louise Casey as “fairly bust”.
According to BBC News, Burnham has invited the leaders of the Conservatives and the Liberal Democrats to meet him as he seeks political agreement on changes to adult social care. Sir Ed Davey is due to attend remotely, while Conservative leader Kemi Badenoch will not attend and will send shadow health secretary Stuart Andrew in her place.
Burnham is expected to say that consensus between parties will be central to improving the system. He said on X that the issue could no longer be delayed and that politicians needed to find common ground.
The leaders of Reform UK and the Green Party of England and Wales were not invited to the talks. Reform leader Nigel Farage criticised the decision, while Green leader Zack Polanski said he would like to attend but welcomed the fact that opposition leaders were being invited.
Burnham is not expected to present detailed plans for a new social care model in his speech. However, the BBC reported that he will announce an acceleration of the Casey Commission, the independent review led by Baroness Casey, which is examining how the sector should be overhauled. Its full findings are due in 2028.
Baroness Casey told BBC Radio 4’s Today programme that the public should not have to face repeated disputes over who is responsible for care. She also said better community health and care services could reduce the number of people entering hospital.
Health Secretary Yvette Cooper is expected to join Burnham at the speech, where Baroness Casey will launch a consultation inviting the public to give their views on social care.
Adult social care supports people to live more independently, including through help at home. Unlike NHS care, it is not free at the point of use. In England and Northern Ireland, people with savings above £23,250 are not eligible for council help with care costs, while Wales and Scotland apply different rules.
The Conservatives have said any reforms must be based on a clear and fully costed plan. A party spokesman said Andrew was ready to work with Labour on improvements, provided they did not depend on tax rises or increased borrowing.
Sir Ed said the existing system was broken and argued that family care should be central to reform. He told the BBC that if changes emerged from the talks that Labour and the Conservatives could support, the Liberal Democrats would back them even if they were not the party’s preferred option.
The BBC also reported the case of Richard Hardy, who has lived at Broadway Lodge Residential Home in York for two and a half years. His wife Diane said cost had influenced their choice of care home and that they were concerned about how long their savings would last.
