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Burnham says he will end pensions triple lock from 2030 to help fund national care service
On Tuesday, Prime Minister Andy Burnham announced plans to adjust the state pension triple lock starting in April 2030 at the Labour Party conference in Liverpool. The current triple lock will remain unchanged until the end of this Parliament.
Savings from the pension reform will fund a new National Care Service, which Burnham described as a "landmark policy" free at the point of use. He said this move addresses the "broken" social care system.
From April 2030, state pensions will move to a double lock, rising annually by CPI inflation or 2.5%, whichever is higher. Burnham pledged low-income pensioners remain protected from income tax throughout this Parliament.
Acknowledging a potential "political price," Burnham said someone must "rip the plaster off" to drive change. First Minister John Swinney criticized the reform as "getting off on the wrong footing," arguing it unfairly penalizes pensioners.
Beyond pensions, Burnham unveiled electoral reform and public control of water companies as part of a radical agenda to reshape Britain. He told delegates, "We need to be bigger and have the courage of our convictions" to deliver transformative change.
The British Labour Party is trying to take advantage of the few bullets left in the chamber to ensure its continuity in the leadership of the government beyond the next general elections, scheduled for 2029. Prime Minister Andy Burnham presented Tuesday his recipes to regain the confidence of voters after two years in which his predecessor, Keir Starmer, has been unable to generate illusion and inject optimism. Burnham has opted for greater stat…