Andy Burnham has proposed removing the annual earnings link from the state pension "triple lock" from April 2030 to help finance a proposed national care service. Officials estimate this change could save about £15bn a year by 2040, but analysts say those savings are unlikely to fully fund comprehensive care reform. Burnham also pledged leasehold reform and measures to allow public ownership of water services, while critics highlight concerns about pensioner protection and funding gaps.
Burnham Proposes Ending Pensions 'Triple Lock' From 2030 To Help Fund National Care Service
Burnham says existing pension triple lock will end in 2030 to help fund national care service
Andy Burnham has proposed ending the existing pensions "triple lock" from April 2030 as part of a plan to help finance adult social care reforms in England.
The current triple lock guarantees that the state pension rises each year by the highest of inflation, average wage growth or 2.5%. Burnham's proposal would remove the annual earnings link (the wage-growth element) from 2030, while retaining other elements of the safeguard.
Estimated Savings And The National Care Service
Officials estimate removing the earnings link could save roughly £15bn a year by 2040. Burnham says the change would help pay for a proposed "national care service" intended to be universal, funded by contributions, and free at the point of use.
"Everyone contributes, and everyone is covered – free at the point of use," Burnham said, outlining his vision for social care.
How Much Would It Cover?
Journalist Dharshini David has warned that, while ending the earnings link could save the state billions, those savings alone are unlikely to fully fund a comprehensive, long-term social care system. Analysts say additional revenue or spending changes would likely be required to deliver the scale of reform Burnham describes.
Other Policy Pledges
Burnham also pledged reforms to the leasehold housing system and said he would move to reverse what he described as "Margaret Thatcher's ideological ban" on public ownership of water services.
Political Response
Conservative MP Kemi Badenoch criticised the proposal to fund care by altering the triple lock, saying the plan is "already falling apart under scrutiny." The announcement has prompted debate across parties about fairness to pensioners, affordability, and how any care reforms would be delivered.
Context: The proposal has sparked wider discussion on the trade-offs between protecting pensioner incomes and financing an expanded social care system. Further details on implementation, eligibility and transitional arrangements were not supplied in full at the time of the announcement.
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