Burnham says he wants next election fought on new taxes for free social care

Andy Burnham has said he wants the next general election to be fought on a plan for new taxes to pay for free social care in England, as he prepares to set out proposals to the Labour Party conference.

The comments come as Burnham appears to be anticipating criticism of the reforms he plans to detail, with questions raised over how a system offering adult social care free at the point of delivery, similar to NHS-provided healthcare, would be funded.

Cost Questions

According to the Health Foundation, such a system could cost around £18 billion, a figure put to Burnham in an interview. He responded that the cost is "not that high," suggesting it falls short of that £18 billion estimate without offering a fully worked-out alternative figure.

Burnham indicated that further details on how the plan would be funded and implemented are still being worked out, pointing to an ongoing official review led by Louise Casey as part of the process of shaping the proposal.

He said he intends to set out his broader vision for the plan on Tuesday in his speech to the Labour conference, with the practical details of implementation to follow from the Casey review.

The remarks reflect the political sensitivity around social care funding in England, an issue that has repeatedly proven difficult for governments of different parties to resolve.

Attention now turns to Tuesday's conference speech, where Burnham is expected to elaborate on the proposal and respond to further questions about its cost and feasibility.