image: ©Jacob Wackerhausen | iStock

The National Care Service is meant to overhaul England’s social care system and provide greater financial security for people in later life.

It will be introduced in stages during the next Parliament, and it will expand as funding and care capacity increase.

Under the proposed National Care Service, older people would receive free support with essential daily activities such as eating, bathing and using the toilet.

The Government says the current system leaves some people facing high costs to receive basic care. Around three in four people aged over 65 are expected to need care and support at some point in later life, while one in seven could face costs of more than £100,000.

The new service would aim to make access to personal care more consistent, regardless of whether someone’s needs are primarily linked to health or social care.

However, the scheme would not cover accommodation, food and other living costs. Existing means-tested council contributions for these costs would remain in place.

The National Care Service plans are also linked to changes to the State Pension Triple Lock.

The current system will remain in place until April 2030. After that, the Government plans to introduce an adjusted system under which pensions would rise by at least inflation or 2.5% each year, while also being linked to earnings over time.

This means pensions could increase by more when wages rise significantly, helping pensioners maintain their living standards relative to the wider population.

The Government estimates that changing the Triple Lock could reduce State Pension spending by £15 billion a year by the end of the 2030s, rising to £50 billion a year by 2050.

The savings generated by the pension changes are intended to help fund the National Care Service. The Government says it will fully fund the service without borrowing.

Baroness Casey’s independent Commission will recommend how to introduce the National Care Service and how quickly it can be expanded. Its report is expected in summer 2027.

The Government says the new services are designed to address long-standing pressures on social care and reduce strain on the NHS from delayed hospital discharges and demand for emergency services.

The proposals will now require further planning and legislation before the new system can be introduced.