Andy Burnham announced on Tuesday that Labour will introduce a universal, free‑at‑the‑point‑of‑use social care service for everyone in England.

"We will rip the plaster off the broken system and rebuild it for every person, no matter their income," Burnham told delegates.

Burnham described the scheme as an "NHS‑style" model, meaning the service would be financed by a contribution from every adult, rather than the current means‑tested, locally funded approach. He said the funding would come from a dedicated levy on earnings, similar to National Insurance, and would be pooled at the national level to guarantee uniform standards across the country.

How the plan would be paid for

According to Burnham, the levy would replace the patchwork of council taxes and discretionary spending that now underpins social care. He argued that spreading the cost across the whole population would prevent families from facing crippling bills and would free up local authority budgets for other services.

Labour’s policy paper, released alongside the speech, estimates that the levy would raise roughly the same amount the NHS currently receives from general taxation, but the party has not disclosed an exact figure. The proposal also includes a commitment to protect existing NHS funding, a point the prime minister, Rishi Sunak, said would "give people hope again".

Political stakes for the next election

The universal care pledge is being positioned as a flagship Labour promise for the general election expected in 2027. Burnham told the conference that the current system is "as unfair as American healthcare" and that Labour’s plan would "break the cycle of poverty and ill‑health caused by unaffordable care".

Conservatives have warned that the levy could amount to a hidden tax increase and could strain the public purse at a time when the Treasury is already grappling with rising debt. Labour, however, argues that the long‑term savings from preventing hospital admissions will offset the upfront costs.

What it means for care users

Under the existing framework, roughly one in five adults in England receive social care, with many paying up to £2,000 a year out of pocket. Burnham said the new system would guarantee that no one is denied care because they cannot afford it, and that eligibility would be based solely on need, not means.

Supporters, including the Care Confederation, welcomed the ambition but urged clarity on how the transition would be managed and how the workforce would be expanded to meet increased demand.

Opponents, such as the Institute for Fiscal Studies, cautioned that the proposal lacks detailed costings and could trigger a rise in overall taxation.

The debate is set to dominate Labour’s manifesto drafting process, with the party aiming to lock in the universal care promise before the next election campaign gains momentum.

Burnham concluded his address by urging voters to imagine a England where “no one has to choose between a roof and a caregiver”. The next step, he said, is a parliamentary vote on the levy, which could be tabled as early as next spring.