Andy Burnham explores major changes to England’s social care system
The Greater Manchester mayor has said he wants substantial reform, as analysts examine possible ways to reshape care funding and provision in England.
Andy Burnham has said he wants to bring major change to social care in England, prompting fresh scrutiny of how the system could be reworked. The Greater Manchester mayor’s comments have put the issue back on the political agenda in the UK.
BBC Verify has examined a range of options that could be used to alter how care is paid for and delivered. The discussion comes as England continues to wrestle with rising demand, pressure on local authority budgets and long-running questions over who should bear the cost.
Social care covers help for older and disabled people with everyday tasks, and it is funded through a mix of public money, local authority support and private payments. Any significant overhaul would need to address eligibility, charging rules and the balance between state and individual responsibility.
Burnham has not set out a full plan, but his remarks have revived debate over whether England should move towards a more generous national settlement. The issue remains one of the most persistent challenges in domestic policy.
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