Andrea Egan, general secretary of Unison, Britain’s largest public-sector union, has criticised Labour leader Andy Burnham for postponing firm decisions on social care reform until after the next general election scheduled for 2029. Speaking at the Labour annual conference in Liverpool, Egan expressed disappointment that Burnham is not moving more swiftly to establish a social care system free at the point of use, funded through higher taxes.

Burnham announced on Sunday that Labour will centre its 2029 election manifesto on delivering a revamped social care system. He indicated that the party would delay firm proposals partly due to the need for public backing for any tax increases required to finance the plans. The Labour leader faces constraints within his parliamentary majority as well as broader political pressures, including commitments to maintain the triple lock on state pensions and avoid raising taxes on workers.

Unison, which represents over one million public sector workers including 40,000 social care employees, argues that groundwork for reform has already been laid. Egan pointed to an official report by Baroness Louise Casey, expected in summer 2027, and urged the government to start planning and consultation immediately. “These infrastructures don’t just appear. They take time,” she said, advocating for the inclusion of trade unions and service users in shaping the reform.

The triple lock on state pensions—which guarantees annual increases in line with inflation, earnings, or 2.5 percent—has become a focal point in discussions on funding social care. Some government insiders suggest the triple lock may be easier to adjust than raising taxes. Wes Streeting, the defence secretary, refrained from committing to the policy beyond the next election, raising concerns about intergenerational fairness in funding elderly care. He also highlighted socioeconomic divides among pensioners, suggesting more targeted pension reforms might be considered.

Analyses from the Institute for Fiscal Studies estimate that replacing the triple lock with a system linked to earnings could save between £600 million in 2029-30 and up to £40 billion by 2050. However, the variable nature of these savings complicates their use in social care funding.

Sir Andrew Dilnot, who chaired a commission on social care reform 15 years ago, warned that postponing action pushes any solution further into the future. He told the BBC that establishing a free, NHS-style social care system would cost “well in excess of £18 billion a year” and take decades to fully implement. Dilnot noted that Labour’s current timeline means it could be 30 years after former Prime Minister Tony Blair launched the first royal commission on social care before reforms materialise.

Egan, a left-wing union leader who replaced the more centrist Christina McAnea last December, criticised the slow progress, asserting that working-class communities cannot bear further financial burdens after years of austerity. She urged Labour to consider alternative funding mechanisms such as a wealth tax, higher taxes on financial institutions, and ending outsourcing in public services. Egan also voiced concern that reform pledges risk becoming another Labour promise left unfulfilled after electoral defeat.

Egan’s relationship with the Labour Party remains complex. Her party membership was terminated four years ago after sharing content linked to a Marxist group proscribed by Labour, and she claimed this was part of a broader purge of left-wing members under Sir Keir Starmer’s leadership. While some ministers have encouraged her to rejoin, she has resisted, citing a sense of abandonment.

Burnham is expected to provide further details on social care funding in his conference speech later this week, as the debate intensifies over how best to address the UK’s escalating social care crisis.