Jenrick urges Burnham to rule out tax rises to fund social care
Reform UK's Robert Jenrick has challenged Prime Minister Andy Burnham to explicitly rule out tax increases to fund social care reforms. Burnham has stated he will review existing budgets before considering tax changes, while Jenrick advocates for funding through cuts to foreign aid and migrant benefits.
Why it matters
The debate highlights the ongoing political tension in the UK regarding the funding of essential public services and the potential for future tax policy shifts.
Image source, EPA By James Gregory Political reporter Published 30 July 2026 Reform UK's Robert Jenrick has urged PM Andy Burnham to rule out future tax rises to fund his plans to fix adult social care in England.
Burnham has said he wants to look at existing budgets before considering tax rises but he has not ruled them out, adding that "difficult decisions" lay ahead with funding options to be set out in a review being published next year.
Jenrick said any reforms should be paid for by cutting foreign aid and benefit payments for migrants, urging the prime minister to rule out what he called a universal "death tax".
Burnham was health secretary in a Gordon Brown government which proposed a compulsory levy which people could defer until after they had died.
The idea was labelled a "death tax" by the Conservative Party.
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