Story perspectives

Burnham announces free personal care for over-65s

By Drooid · Oct 5, 2026, 6:04 PM UTC · How we work

Summary

Story summary

Andy Burnham announced free personal care for people over 65 and pledged to protect homes.
Downing Street removed “personal” from the “no care charges” promise and faced criticism.
Baroness Louise Casey’s commission will review support options for working-age disabled adults.
Proposals would cut disabled youths’ health element of Universal Credit to £217 a month.
Labour said funding the reforms may need a national-insurance rise or a death-tax levy.

History

Historical Context

David Cameron’s Conservative government passed the Welfare Reform Act on 8 March 2012, merging six means-tested benefits into Universal Credit as a core austerity measure. Chancellor George Osborne argued the reform would curb welfare spending, and the act introduced the controversial ‘bedroom tax’. Today, Labour leader Andy Burnham’s free personal-care plan and Downing Street’s rebranding echo that 2012 shift toward tighter benefit eligibility.

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Story summary

Andy Burnham announced free personal care for people over 65 and pledged to protect homes.
Downing Street removed “personal” from the “no care charges” promise and faced criticism.
Baroness Louise Casey’s commission will review support options for working-age disabled adults.
Proposals would cut disabled youths’ health element of Universal Credit to £217 a month.
Labour said funding the reforms may need a national-insurance rise or a death-tax levy.

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