Burnham pledges care service funded partly by pension changes

Andy Burnham used his first Labour Party conference speech as party leader to pledge a free-at-the-point-of-use National Care Service in England, funded in part by changing the state pension triple lock from April 2030. He said groundwork would begin now and the service would be introduced in the next Parliament, but the proposal’s cost, eligibility rules and delivery arrangements were not detailed in the accounts of his speech. Burnham told delegates in Liverpool that the pension commitment made in Labour’s 2024 manifesto would remain unchanged during the current Parliament. From April 2030, he said, the state pension would rise each year by at least inflation or 2.5%, whichever is higher, with the change expected to generate savings for social care. He also said the pension would retain its value relative to earnings over time. The reports of his remarks do not explain how that aim would work alongside removing the earnings link. Burnham described the care service as a major reform and said it would be fully funded without borrowing. He said it would cover everyone and would not erode savings, while recognizing care workers.