Three things to know as Burnham to unveil adult social care plan

Andy Burnham is due to unveil his plans for adult social care next week, having pledged to overhaul the system so that it “operates on the NHS principle” and is free at the point of use. While the pledge seems like it should be an easy win for Burnham, some have criticised the idea for the expense a National Care Service would place on the British public. Here are three things you need to know about Burnham’s social care plan. How will the service work? Last week, the new Prime Minister made it clear that reforming social care was one of his top priorities, telling reporters he was “ready to use some of my political capital on this issue” and that it would not be “defensible” to leave office without having reformed social care. He also said he wanted social care to “operate on the NHS principle” it should be free at the point of use, and that the current social care system was “broken”. In the past, Burnham has suggested that such a service would be divorced from a “top-down or a medical model of support”, indicating instead the service would be more personal and individual. Speaking at the Labour Party Conference in 2021, he said: “This is the thing when you hear the phrase National Care Service: people feel it is going to be top-down or a medical model of support. “Absolutely it doesn’t have to be like that at all. It should start with very personal, individual support in the home.” It is understood the plan would be a “universal” NHS-style offer but according to The Times it is unlikely to cover “daily living costs” of a care home, such a food, laundry and accommodation. However, Burnham could offer a basic level of “free personal” care for over-65s to cover eating, bathing and help using the toilet. How would the service be funded? In the 2021 Labour conference, Burnham suggested a National Care Service could be funded through a care levy of 10 per cent on assets, savings and homes, with a payment plan possibly to be agreed when someone reaches the age of 65. He said: “I don’t think you can say we are going to have a new system of social care without the older generation making a contribution to that. “Because it’s a care levy and not an inheritance tax, it is linked to what you are getting… even if you don’t need care in your lifetime… you’re getting peace of mind, the peace of mind the NHS provides for you.” With sources claiming the universal offer would not cover daily living expenses, residents could still face extensive costs. Currently, in England, people can only qualify for free social care if they have less than £23,250 in assets, with anyone outside of this bracket fronting the costs themselves. The figures are different for Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland. Other countries that offer free or heavily subsidised social care, such as Denmark and France, also still require people to pay for their own accommodation. In Japan, the recipient of care pays the full accommodation cost but the other costs of care are split between the individual and the state. How much would a National Care Service cost? The average cost of a care home in England is £1,300 a week, or £67,000 a year. Nearly two thirds of this is to cover daily living costs such as accommodation, food and electricity bills. A report published by the Health Foundation on Friday showed that a comprehensive system offering free social care would cost £18.5bn a year by 2035-36. This prediction assumes that individuals in care homes still pay for the cost of their own accommodation and food. The scaled back system offering a basic level of “free personal care” for over-65s would cost £7.5bn a year.