An overhaul of the country’s “broken” social care system is set to be introduced two years earlier than expected under changes planned by incoming prime minister Andy Burnham.
The new leader of the Labour Party is expected to ask the Casey Commission on social care to fast-track reforms, due in 2028, to the end of this year – as one of his first acts in office.
On Thursday, he said he was willing to “expend quite a lot of political capital” on care for the elderly and tackle one of the thorniest issues facing society and Westminster.
And in his acceptance speech as Labour leader on Friday, Burnham – whose own father has Alzheimer’s – placed social care at the centre of his plans to change Britain.
He said: “Let’s take a problem-solving rather than a point-scoring approach. Let’s have the courage to fix the big things that politics has neglected – like social care – and have the conviction to go out there together and argue for our plans.”
