Whatever happens with the leadership, Labour must tackle the issue of social care head-on | Heather Stewart

"A new collection of essays, to be published by the Fabian Society this week, urges the government whoever leads it to crack on with creating a national care service more closely aligned to the NHS, and ensure it is properly funded. It was nine years ago on Monday, in a cavernous former mill in Halifax, that Theresa May launched the Conservatives' general election manifesto. At its heart aside from a load of philosophical blather was a plan to fund care costs."

"No one would have to sell their home in their lifetime to pay for their care, the Tories promised, with costs deferred until after death, and the first 100,000 of a patient's assets would be protected but after that they would be liable. Before the day was out, Labour had called the plan, which could result in part of the value of a patient's home being used to fund their care after death, a dementia tax."

"The policy and May's clunking retreat was widely credited as a contributing factor in the Conservatives' worse-than-expected 2017 election performance, ultimately costing May her premiership. Scroll back another seven years, and a plan to levy a charge on estates to pay for universal social care, drawn up by the then Labour health secretary one Andy Burnham was called a death tax, by the Tories , with the policy dying a death itself as Gordon Brown was swept from power in the 2010 general election."

"It is not hard to understand why politicians have subsequently ducked the issue the trade-offs are tough, and voters do not want to be told they are going to have to pay up for a system they may be lucky enough never to have to use."

A new collection of essays urges the government to create a national care service closely aligned with the NHS and to ensure it is properly funded. Nine years earlier, a Conservative plan promised that people would not have to sell their homes during their lifetimes, with care costs deferred until after death and the first portion of assets protected. Labour criticized the approach as a dementia tax because part of home value could be used after death. The Conservative plan was linked to weaker election results in 2017 and contributed to Theresa May losing her premiership. Earlier, a Labour proposal to charge estates for universal social care was also branded a death tax by Conservatives and failed after the 2010 election. Politicians have avoided the issue because trade-offs are difficult and voters resist paying for a system they may never use.

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