# 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.” > > — Liberal Democrats; 2024 manifesto, page 37, 10 June 2024 - **Status:** Promised - **Status ladder:** Promised → In plan → Legislated → Funded → Delivering → Delivered - **Policy area:** [Social protection](https://ledgergov.uk/promises/area/social-protection) - **Speaker:** [Liberal Democrats](https://ledgergov.uk/actor/liberal-democrats) - **Made on:** 10 June 2024 - **Where:** 2024 manifesto, page 37 - **Cost a year:** Costs £2.7bn to £6.6bn a year (central £6bn) - **Who it affects:** People in England who need personal care, at home or in a care home. Care home residents would still pay for their accommodation. - **When:** Not stated; the party costed it for 2028-29 - **Paid for by:** Reversing tax cuts given to the big banks by the Conservatives since 2016 (restoring Bank Surcharge and Bank Levy revenues to 2016 levels in real terms), which the party says raises £4.3bn a year by 2028-29. - **Quote source:** https://www.libdems.org.uk/fileadmin/groups/2_Federal_Party/Documents/PolicyPapers/Manifesto_2024/For_a_Fair_Deal_-_Liberal_Democrat_Manifesto_2024.pdf (checked word for word on 6 October 2026; Quoted for reporting; rights stay with the publisher) - **Last updated:** 6 October 2026 - **Card:** https://ledgergov.uk/promise/uk-ld-free-personal-care-2024 ## 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. ## Timeline - 10 June 2024, Promised: Liberal Democrat manifesto pledges free personal care in England ## 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. Costing sources: - [Liberal Democrats press release, 8 Jun 2024](https://www.libdems.org.uk/press/release/ed-davey-launches-plan-for-free-personal-care-to-end-hospital-crisis-and-help-people-stay-in-their-own-homes) - [Health Foundation: response to Liberal Democrats' proposals for social care, 4 Jun 2024](https://www.health.org.uk/media-office/press-releases/the-health-foundation-responds-to-liberal-democrats-proposals-for-social-care) - [IFS: Liberal Democrat manifesto: a reaction, 10 Jun 2024](https://ifs.org.uk/articles/liberal-democrat-manifesto-reaction) ## Corrections - 6 October 2026, the how much bn per year in version 1: The 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. Now: £2.7bn to £6.6bn a year. ([source](https://www.health.org.uk/media-office/press-releases/the-health-foundation-responds-to-liberal-democrats-proposals-for-social-care)) - 6 October 2026, the cost note in version 1: The 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](https://www.health.org.uk/media-office/press-releases/the-health-foundation-responds-to-liberal-democrats-proposals-for-social-care)) ## Sources - [Liberal Democrats: For a Fair Deal, 2024 manifesto (PDF), page 37](https://www.libdems.org.uk/fileadmin/groups/2_Federal_Party/Documents/PolicyPapers/Manifesto_2024/For_a_Fair_Deal_-_Liberal_Democrat_Manifesto_2024.pdf) - [Liberal Democrats: Ed Davey launches plan for free personal care, 8 Jun 2024](https://www.libdems.org.uk/press/release/ed-davey-launches-plan-for-free-personal-care-to-end-hospital-crisis-and-help-people-stay-in-their-own-homes) - [Liberal Democrats: Funding a Fair Deal, manifesto costings 2024 (PDF)](https://www.libdems.org.uk/fileadmin/groups/2_Federal_Party/Documents/PolicyPapers/Manifesto_2024/Funding_a_Fair_Deal_-_Liberal_Democrat_Manifesto_Costings_2024.pdf) - [Liberal Democrats: Davey calls on PM Burnham to end the social care catastrophe, 20 Jul 2026](https://www.libdems.org.uk/press/release/davey-calls-on-pm-burnham-to-end-the-social-care-catastrophe-as-data-reveals-family-care-costs-have-soared-60-in-five-years) - [IFS: Liberal Democrat manifesto: a reaction, 10 Jun 2024](https://ifs.org.uk/articles/liberal-democrat-manifesto-reaction) - [Labour Party: Six things Andy Burnham announced today at Labour Party Conference, 29 Sep 2026](https://labour.org.uk/updates/stories/six-things-andy-burnham-announced-today-at-labour-party-conference/) - [No 10 press release, 29 Sep 2026: Prime Minister Andy Burnham sets out plans for a new National Care Service](https://www.gov.uk/government/news/prime-minister-andy-burnham-sets-out-plans-for-a-new-national-care-service) - [Disability News Service: Free social care is coming… but only if you're over 65, government confirms after Burnham speech, 1 Oct 2026](https://www.disabilitynewsservice.com/free-social-care-is-coming-but-only-if-youre-over-65-government-confirms-after-burnham-speech/) ## Checks - Checked by AI Journalist (automated) on 6 October 2026; human editor review to come. --- Public Ledger's own writing (headlines, status notes, cost notes, summaries) is licensed under [Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 (CC BY 4.0)](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/): reuse it, crediting Public Ledger with a link to the card. 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