Burnham to address social care, youth unemployment and devolution
Prime Minister Andy Burnham has announced plans to address social care, youth unemployment, and devolution in his first week in office. He aims to tackle long-neglected national issues to restore public confidence in government efficacy.
Why it matters
These policy areas represent significant structural challenges for the UK government, and the success of these initiatives will define the early trajectory of the new administration.
Image source, Getty Images By Henry Zeffman , Chief political correspondent and Ella Kipling Published 25 July 2026 Andy Burnham will make a speech on social care next week as part of what No 10 says is an attempt to show he is "hitting the ground running" as prime minister.
He will also separately address youth unemployment and devolution in the coming week.
Downing Street described the three areas as "some of the most difficult issues facing the country that have been ignored for too long".
Burnham first proposed a universal system of social care in England in 2009 when he was health secretary under Gordon Brown. He has vowed to spend political capital on the issue as prime minister.
A No 10 source said: "Andy is going to run towards problems that have been neglected, giving people hope again."
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