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Liberal DemocratsSocial protection

Introduce free personal care, based on need

“Introduce free personal care based on the model introduced by the Liberal Democrats in government in Scotland in 2002, so that provision is based on need, not ability to pay.”

Promised2024 manifesto, page 37, 10 Jun 2024
  1. Promised

Where it stands

The Liberal Democrats are not in government. In July 2026 the party restated free personal care as one of its three tests on social care for the new Prime Minister. On 29 September 2026 Prime Minister Andy Burnham promised free personal care for people over 65 through a National Care Service in the next parliament; it does not cover working-age adults, and no detailed plan, legislation or funding has been published, so the card stays at Promised.

What has happened

  1. Jun 2024Liberal Democrat manifesto pledges free personal care in England, Promised

About the cost

Years shown: 2028-29 for the party's own figure and 2026/27 for the independent estimate, the years each source costs. The party's own figure is £2.7bn a year by 2028-29 above existing social care plans (low). The Health Foundation estimated in January 2024 that a Scottish-style free personal care model in England could cost around £6bn extra in 2026/27 (central), rising to £7bn by 2035/36. The high end is an editorial +10% on the Health Foundation's 2026/27 figure, because it gives a central figure only. The IFS said the party's wider £8.4bn for health and social care would not be nearly enough if it is on top of current spending.

More detail

Sources (8)
Corrections (2): what we fixed, in public
  1. Corrected on 6 Oct 2026: Cost range in version 1The high end was the Health Foundation's 2035/36 figure, a later year than the rest of the range (a time profile). It is now an editorial +10% on the Health Foundation's 2026/27 figure.Was: £2.7bn to £7bn a year (central £6bn)Now: £2.7bn to £6.6bn a year (central £6bn)Source for the correction
  2. Corrected on 6 Oct 2026: Cost note in version 1The note used the 2035/36 figure as the high end of the range. The £7bn is now shown as growth over time, and the note gives the years shown and the editorial +10%.Was: “The party's own figure is £2.7bn a year by 2028-29 above existing social care plans (low). The Health Foundation estimated in January 2024 that a Scottish-style free personal care model in England could cost around £6bn extra in 2026/27 (central), rising to £7bn by 2035/36 (high). The IFS said the party's wider £8.4bn for health and social care would not be nearly enough if it is on top of current spending.”Now: “Years shown: 2028-29 for the party's own figure and 2026/27 for the independent estimate, the years each source costs. The party's own figure is £2.7bn a year by 2028-29 above existing social care plans (low). The Health Foundation estimated in January 2024 that a Scottish-style free personal care model in England could cost around £6bn extra in 2026/27 (central), rising to £7bn by 2035/36. The high end is an editorial +10% on the Health Foundation's 2026/27 figure, because it gives a central figure only. The IFS said the party's wider £8.4bn for health and social care would not be nearly enough if it is on top of current spending.”Source for the correction
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