Burnham to Address Social Care Strategy Amid Funding Debate

Prime Minister Burnham, now in his second week in office, directly confronts this crisis, his father's Alzheimer's having shaped his re-election campaign for Greater Manchester mayor.

Yvette Cooper also navigates the system's failures; her mother's dementia highlights the widespread impact on families.

Burnham asserts that politicians have failed 22 times over the past 27 years to address the social care crisis.

He declares no party holds the 'high ground' on social care, citing decades of systemic failure.

The Prime Minister labels it "a major dereliction of public duty that [Parliament] has not faced up to this of all challenges, something so fundamental to life as this."

He adds, "It’s shameful, to be honest, that politicians have put point scoring before fixing this issue, but that’s what’s happened."

The Prime Minister further notes, "It’s created a feeling in Westminster that this is too difficult, and if you take it on, you’re taking on too big a political risk."

Prime Minister Rishi Sunak extended an invitation for talks on social care reform to leaders of the Labour, Conservative, and Liberal Democrat parties.

The Conservatives and Liberal Democrats accepted the invitation; Liberal Democrat leader Sir Ed Davey will attend remotely, stating hope that "this call may prove to be the first step towards fixing our broken care service."

Conservative leader Kemi Badenoch will not attend, sending shadow health secretary Stuart Andrew in her place.

Nigel Farage criticizes the Prime Minister for excluding Reform UK from the meeting, highlighting persistent political divisions.

Burnham's proposal involves mandatory contributions to a national fund, with the levy reportedly applying to workers over the age of 34.

Health officials are drawing up plans for a 1.8% levy on earnings to fund social care reforms; civil servants have developed proposals for a new social care funding system.

This new care system could cost £18bn a year, representing a substantial financial commitment.

Andrew Lansley, then Tory shadow health secretary, publicly criticized Burnham's 2009 proposal, controversially calling it a "death tax."

Baroness Louise Casey will lead the Independent Commission on Adult Social Care, launching a Big Conversation on Care.

Burnham fast-tracks her review for completion within one year, pushing for rapid progress.

The Prime Minister states that care workers should be the best-paid people in society, acknowledging the demanding and skillful nature of their work.

Burnham elaborates on the skills required: "I watch, sometimes, how people communicate with my dad and they're able to catch a kind of a moment of his old character."

He continues, "But also moving from a wheelchair to an armchair, or from there to a bed without distress or discomfort, it is incredibly demanding and skilful what they do and that needs to be recognised."

Both health and social care sectors historically rely on an international workforce, facing persistent staffing challenges.

Burnham affirms, "Politicians might have different views but I’m serious about fixing this issue and to do that, we have to find common ground and listen to others to find a way forward."

He stresses the urgency: "It’s time to draw a line under people playing politics when the human cost of that means carers struggling, families paying the price and our NHS buckling under the strain."

Age UK released figures indicating 2 million people are missing out on social care, revealing the crisis's scale.

Burnham states, "I think social care in England is as unfair as American healthcare. The vulnerable pay with everything and it can completely leave them with nothing."