Burnham's got social care wrong

Everyone says Britain’s social care crisis is about money. I don’t think that’s the right place to start.

Andy Burnham has put social care back into the political debate, but his proposals begin from the assumption that the central challenge is funding. I argue that this accepts the conventional framing without asking the more important question, which is why has demand for social care risen so dramatically in the first place?

The answer, I suggest, lies in our declining healthspan. We are living longer, but spending more years in poor health. That creates rising demand for care regardless of how much money governments spend.

In this video, I look at the evidence on lifespan and healthy lifespan, explain why they are diverging, and ask what is driving the trend. Poverty, insecure work, poor housing, ultra-processed food, excessive reliance on medication and growing inequality all play a part. Unless we tackle those underlying causes, social care costs will continue to rise.

I also argue that health policy, social care policy and economic policy cannot be separated. Healthier people can remain independent for longer, contribute more to society, support their families and strengthen the wider economy.

The real challenge is not simply paying for social care. It is creating a society in which people remain healthy for much longer.