Andy Burnham tells BBC NHS 'will collapse' without social care reform
UK Prime Minister Andy Burnham has warned that the NHS faces collapse unless the social care system is fundamentally reformed. While he has committed to prioritizing this issue, he has declined to provide a specific timeline for the implementation of new policies.
Why it matters
Social care reform is a critical domestic policy challenge in the UK that directly impacts the sustainability of the National Health Service.
Figure caption, Burnham promises 'substantial change' to social care
Sunday with Laura Kuenssberg Published 27 July 2026, 06:00 BST Updated 38 minutes ago Andy Burnham has told the BBC "the NHS will collapse" if social care is not reformed but said he could not put a timeline on changes.
In his first major interview since becoming prime minister, Burnham said he would not want to leave office without bringing in "substantial change" to the social care system.
The prime minister also suggested making it harder to claim benefits, saying the country had to get serious about getting the welfare bill down.
Conservative leader Kemi Badenoch has meanwhile written to the prime minister, saying he should rule out tax rises or increased borrowing to fund social care reform.
Get smarter about the news
Sign up free for a feed built around what you actually care about, Dive Deeper research on any story, and the full text of every article.
Create free accountAlready have an account? Sign in