PM announces National Care Service and State Pension Triple Lock adjustment
UKPulse News Desk
Prime Minister Andy Burnham has announced plans for a new National Care Service, providing free personal care for older people, alongside an adjustment to the State Pension Triple Lock from April 2030.
- A National Care Service will be established in the next Parliament, offering free personal care for older people based on need.
- The State Pension Triple Lock will be maintained until April 2030, then adjusted to rise by at least inflation or 2.5% annually, with a link to earnings.
- Savings from the adjusted Triple Lock are estimated to reduce state pension spending by £15 billion a year by the end of the 2030s and will fund the new National Care Service.
Prime Minister Andy Burnham today announced plans for a new National Care Service, which will provide free personal care for older people based on need, rather than ability to pay. The service is expected to be established in the next Parliament and will be introduced in phases.
The current State Pension Triple Lock will be maintained until April 2030. From this date, it will be adjusted to ensure the State Pension rises by at least inflation or 2.5% each year, with a new link to keep pace with earnings over time. The Government plans to legislate for this change during the current Parliament.
Savings generated by the adjusted Triple Lock, estimated to be £15 billion a year by the end of the 2030s, rising to £50 billion a year by 2050, will be used to fund the new National Care Service. Baroness Casey's independent Commission is tasked with recommending how and when the service will be built up, with her report due in summer 2027.
The new service will cover personal care, including assistance with eating, bathing, and using the toilet, but will not cover bed and board. Existing means-tested council contributions for bed and board will remain.
Why this matters: The plans aim to address the current social care system, which the Prime Minister warned could eventually break the NHS due to pressures on A&Es and difficulties discharging patients.
What this means for you: If you are an older person, or will be in the future, you may receive free personal care based on need under the proposed National Care Service. Your State Pension will continue to rise annually, with adjustments from April 2030 designed to keep pace with inflation and earnings.