Last Updated on July 23, 2026
The adult social care sector has broadly welcomed Andy Burnham's appointment as the UK's new Prime Minister. However, leading voices within the sector have also urged the new Government to move quickly on long-promised reforms to England's social care system. The new Prime Minister has made social care one of his first priorities, describing it as one of the 'big things that politics has neglected' and pledging to spend significant political capital on delivering lasting reform. Having previously championed the idea of a National Care Service, he has also spoken of creating a system that is free at the point of use, with everyone contributing and everyone covered.
Charities, provider organisations and workforce representatives have expressed optimism that social care could finally move higher up the political agenda. However, many have also warned that previous governments have made similar commitments and that meaningful reform will depend on sustained investment, workforce support and a faster timetable for change.
Professor Vic Rayner OBE, Chief Executive of the National Care Forum (NCF), said it was 'fantastic' to hear social care placed at the centre of the Prime Minister's plans. She said Burnham's commitment would give hope to millions of people who draw on care and support, unpaid carers and the social care workforce, adding that his call for 'courage and conviction' should become a commitment across Government to deliver meaningful reform. NCF said a future National Care Service should put not-for-profit care at its heart, invest in the workforce, embrace innovation and technology and ensure people have rights, fairness and choice.
The National Care Association (NCA) also welcomed Burnham's commitment but stressed that reform should not be delayed. Executive Co-Chair, Nadra Ahmed CBE, pointed to the 400,000 people waiting for assessments and the millions of unpaid carers who continue to fill gaps in the system. She argued that social care does not need 'fixing' but instead requires proper funding to allow providers to continue delivering high-quality support. NCA also called for reform to be brought forward during this Parliament, warning that providers continue to subsidise local authority commissioning because the fees paid often fall well below the true cost of delivering care.
The Social Care Institute for Excellence (SCIE) echoed those concerns, saying Burnham now has an opportunity to turn long-standing ambitions into lasting reform. Interim Chief Executive, Gerard Crofton-Martin, said previous attempts to reform adult social care had been characterised by short-term fixes rather than the structural changes the sector requires. He said reforms should be designed around the experiences of people drawing on care, families, carers and the workforce, while also investing in prevention, early intervention and closer partnership between social care, the NHS and housing.
Funding emerged as one of the strongest themes running through the sector's response. Melanie Weatherley MBE, Co-Chair of the Care Association Alliance, said the success of any National Care Service would depend not on its structure but on the funding settlement underpinning it. She called on Government to bring forward the Casey Commission's timetable and introduce a national funding settlement, including a national care grant, national tariff and independent National Care Assessment Body, during this Parliament. 'The people we support cannot wait,' she said.
Workforce organisations also argued that reform would only succeed if care workers themselves were prioritised. The Care Workers' Charity welcomed Burnham's commitment to tackle social care but warned that a National Care Service 'cannot be built without the workforce that will deliver it' The charity highlighted figures showing that almost half of care workers were paid below the Real Living Wage at the end of 2025, while more than a third are considering leaving the profession. Chief Executive, Karolina Gerlich, said care workers had heard ambitious promises before but now needed to see funding that reaches their pay packets, reform delivered within this Parliament and meaningful involvement in designing the future service. 'There can be no National Care Service without the workforce that delivers it,' she said.
Dementia organisations also called on the new Prime Minister to ensure reform reflects the needs of people living with dementia. Michelle Dyson CB, Chief Executive of Alzheimer's Society, said Burnham's own family's experience of Alzheimer's disease, together with his commitment to reform, offered hope to those affected. She urged Government to use the ongoing Modern Service Framework for Dementia and Frailty and the Casey Commission to make dementia a national priority. 'Dementia doesn't wait and neither should Government,' she said.
Looking beyond funding alone, legal experts also suggested Burnham's wider approach to public services could reshape social care. James Arrowsmith, Partner specialising in social care at law firm, Browne Jacobson, said a Burnham Government could accelerate the Casey Commission and place greater emphasis on prevention, neighbourhood working and devolving power to local areas. He suggested reforms could draw on Greater Manchester's integrated approach, recognising the role that housing, employment and other public services play in improving care outcomes.
While organisations welcomed the Prime Minister's early commitment, the message from across the sector was consistent. Leaders see Burnham's appointment as an opportunity to finally tackle long-standing challenges in adult social care but they also made clear that success will be judged by how quickly Government turns its promises into funded, lasting reform. Several organisations urged the Prime Minister not to wait until the Casey Commission's current 2028 timetable, arguing that the workforce, providers and people drawing on care cannot afford further delay.
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In other news, the latest edition of an annual local authority survey finds that rising care needs are leaving councils £715m over budget.