Article checked and updated: 30 July 2026.

What are Andy Burnham’s plans for social care?

Prime Minister Andy Burnham has made reforming England’s adult social care system an early priority, supporting the creation of a National Care Service with a stronger focus on prevention, independence, care closer to home, and better support for carers and care workers.

However, many of the most important details, including how the system will be funded, who will qualify, and precisely what support will be provided, are still being developed.

Quick Answer

Andy Burnham’s focus on preventative, person-centred social care could increase the importance of home adaptations and accessible design by helping more older and disabled people live safely and independently in their own homes.

For the accessibility market, this could mean:

• greater demand for home adaptations
• closer integration between housing, health, and social care
• more attention to accessible kitchens and bathrooms
• stronger expectations around quality and measurable outcomes
• increased involvement from councils, occupational therapists, housing providers, and care professionals

But it is important to be clear: major reform has been promised, not yet fully delivered.

What Has Changed?

Andy Burnham became Prime Minister on 20 July 2026.

In his first speech outside Downing Street, he promised to build a more preventative state and put the care of people at the centre of government.^[1]

Only days later, he made adult social care one of his first major domestic policy priorities.

Burnham has spoken about the unfairness and unpredictability of the current care system, particularly for families affected by conditions such as dementia. He has also renewed the case for a National Care Service based on principles associated with the NHS.^[2]

The direction is clear: social care is being presented not as a secondary service, but as a central part of how the country supports independence, dignity, health, and later life.

An Important UK Clarification

Although Andy Burnham is Prime Minister of the United Kingdom, adult social care is a devolved responsibility.

The reforms currently being discussed apply primarily to England.

Scotland, Wales, and Northern Ireland have their own social care systems and policies, although decisions on UK taxation, workforce rules, and wider public spending may still affect them indirectly.^[3]

For businesses serving customers throughout the UK, this means the commercial effects may be widespread, but the direct policy changes will not necessarily be identical in every nation.

What Is the National Care Service?

The proposed National Care Service is intended to create a fairer and more consistent adult social care system, with national standards, greater choice and control, and closer coordination between social care, the NHS, councils, and local services.

The idea existed before Burnham became Prime Minister, but he has given it renewed political attention.

Existing government policy describes a National Care Service based on:

• high-quality care
• greater choice and control
• person-centred support
• joined-up health and social care
• helping people remain independent
• more consistent standards across England^[4]

Burnham has suggested that the system should be informed by NHS principles, but this does not yet mean that all social care will automatically become free at the point of use.

That remains one of the major questions still to be answered.

What Has Actually Been Confirmed?

Several relevant policies and processes are already in progress.

What Has Not Yet Been Decided?

This is where caution is important.

At the time of writing, the government has not confirmed:

• the final funding model
• whether a new tax or insurance contribution will be introduced
• whether personal care will become free
• the final eligibility criteria
• how responsibilities will be divided between national and local government
• how quickly major reforms will take effect
• whether home adaptation funding will increase further

Different options are being discussed, including changes to care-cost protections, asset thresholds, taxation, and wider state funding.

But discussion is not the same as enacted policy.

Customers should not assume that a new entitlement to fully funded accessible kitchens, bathrooms, or home adaptations now exists.

Why Could This Affect the Accessibility Market?

If care policy shifts further towards prevention and independent living, accessible products may become a more important part of mainstream health, housing, and social care planning.

The accessibility market could be affected in several ways.

1. Greater Demand for Home Adaptations

If the objective is to help people remain at home for longer, the home itself must support that goal.

Standard homes often create barriers through:

• inaccessible bathrooms
• fixed-height kitchens
• deep kitchen sinks
• poor circulation space
• difficult storage
• steps and thresholds
• controls positioned outside comfortable reach

Addressing these barriers could increase demand for:

• height-adjustable worktops
• accessible kitchen sinks
• wall cabinet lifts
• accessible storage
• level-access showers
• supportive bathroom products
• adaptable washbasins
• future-proof layouts

This demand may come from both private customers and publicly supported projects.

2. Accessibility May Be Considered Earlier

Home adaptations are often reactive.

A person may only receive help after:

• a fall
• a hospital admission
• a decline in mobility
• a carer becoming unable to cope
• part of the home becoming unusable

A preventative model should identify needs earlier.

That could encourage more people to make changes while they still have:

• greater choice
• more control
• more time to plan
• wider product options

This generally produces better results than making urgent changes during a crisis.

3. More Attention Could Be Given to Kitchens

Publicly supported adaptations have often concentrated heavily on access, stairs, and bathrooms.

These areas are essential, but kitchens also play a major role in independence.

An inaccessible kitchen can prevent someone from:

• preparing food
• washing dishes
• reaching storage
• using appliances
• making drinks
• participating in family life

If social care reform places more emphasis on daily independence and prevention, accessible kitchens may receive greater recognition as an important part of the home—not simply a premium or optional improvement.

→ Learn more about accessible kitchen design

4. Product Quality and Evidence May Matter More

Increased public involvement could bring increased scrutiny.

Councils, occupational therapists, housing associations, NHS-linked teams, and other specifiers may expect products to demonstrate:

• appropriate load capacity
• safe operation
• durability
• accessible controls
• suitable reach
• regulatory compliance
• long-term value
• reliable aftercare

This may benefit established specialist suppliers.

It could also help tackle a common market problem, that products are being described as accessible without being properly designed for accessible use.

5. Health, Housing, and Care May Work More Closely Together

One of the longstanding problems in home adaptation is fragmentation.

A person may need to deal separately with:

• social services
• housing departments
• occupational therapists
• healthcare professionals
• grant teams
• contractors
• product suppliers

Current policy increasingly encourages more integrated assessments and planning.

If this continues, future projects may be commissioned more holistically.

Instead of considering one grab rail or one shower in isolation, professionals may look at:

• the whole home
• daily routines
• long-term needs
• the needs of carers
• how different adaptations work together

That would support a more complete approach to accessible design.

6. Demand May Extend Beyond Older People

Social care is not only about later life.

It also supports working-age disabled adults, people with progressive conditions, people recovering from illness, and those with lifelong support needs.

The current commission has recognised that older people and working-age disabled adults may require different types of support.

For the accessibility market, this reinforces the need for adaptable solutions rather than a single “care” aesthetic or standardised layout.

People may require:

• discreet accessibility
• contemporary design
• multi-user systems
• adjustable products
• solutions that change with their needs

What Could This Mean for Homeowners and Families?

For homeowners and families, the most likely immediate effect is greater attention to the importance of planning.

Possible longer-term benefits could include:

• clearer routes to assessments
• better coordination between services
• more consistent support
• increased funding for prevention
• wider recognition of kitchen and bathroom accessibility
• less variation between local areas

However, reform will take time.

People considering adaptations should continue to use the support already available rather than waiting for a future system.

Current options may include:

• a local authority care-needs assessment
• an occupational therapy assessment
• a Disabled Facilities Grant
• local housing-assistance programmes
• VAT relief on qualifying disability products
• privately funded adaptation

→ Learn more about VAT exemption

What Could This Mean for Occupational Therapists and Specifiers?

Occupational therapists, architects, surveyors, housing providers, and contractors could see:

• larger adaptation programmes
• greater emphasis on preventative work
• increased demand for technical product knowledge
• closer collaboration with health and care teams
• more formal outcome measurement
• stronger expectations around long-term suitability

This may also change the definition of value.

The cheapest product at the point of purchase is not always the least expensive over its full lifetime.

A durable, adaptable system may reduce:

• replacement costs
• care requirements
• physical strain
• future reconstruction
• disruption to the household

What Could This Mean for the Accessibility Industry?

The overall direction is potentially positive for the sector.

A serious national focus on care could expand awareness of:

• home adaptations
• inclusive design
• independent living
• future-proofing
• accessible housing

But growth could also create challenges.

These may include:

• pressure on installation capacity
• shortages of specialist knowledge
• inconsistent local commissioning
• price-led procurement
• confusion over which products genuinely qualify as accessible
• demand growing faster than assessment and grant systems can respond

Responsible suppliers will need to provide more than products.

They will need to offer:

• clear information
• accurate technical specifications
• honest advice
• dependable installation guidance
• suitable compliance information
• support for professionals and families

Should You Wait for the New Care Reforms Before Adapting Your Home?

No. If your home is already unsafe, difficult, or restrictive, it is rarely sensible to delay essential adaptations while waiting for policies that have not yet been finalised.

Government reform may improve support in the future.

But people can already:

• request a council assessment
• investigate grant eligibility
• explore VAT relief
• plan adaptations
• speak with accessibility specialists

Early action can help prevent:

• falls
• loss of independence
• urgent hospital-discharge problems
• rushed purchasing decisions
• more expensive work later

Common Misunderstandings

Frequently Asked Questions

Final Thoughts: Care Reform Could Make the Home More Important

Social care reform is often discussed in terms of:

• funding
• care workers
• care homes
• hospitals

All of these matter.

But a large part of care takes place, or could take place, at home.

If Andy Burnham’s government follows through on its emphasis on prevention, independence, and care closer to home, accessible design could become a more visible part of national care policy.

That could mean greater recognition that:

• the bathroom affects safety
• the kitchen affects independence
• the layout affects mobility
• the right adaptation can reduce reliance on support
• a well-designed home can improve everyday life

The final policies are still being developed.

But the direction of travel is significant.

A better care system will require more than changes to services. It will require homes that allow people to live safely, confidently, and independently.

Interested in making your home accessible?

You do not need to wait for national reform to begin improving how your home works.

→ Explore accessible kitchen systems → View adapted bathroom solutions → Learn about retrofitting accessibility → Speak to our team about planning an accessible home

The future of care will not only be decided in hospitals, councils, or care homes. It will also be shaped by what people are able to do in their own homes.

Policy position checked and updated: 30 July 2026.