Could Andy Burnham’s social care plans make a difference for people with RA and JIA?

26 August 2026

Prime Minister, Andy Burnham, has repeatedly confirmed in his first few weeks as PM a commitment to reviewing adult social care in England.

Social Care reform has been on the agenda of many politicians for many years. You will recall that Former Prime Minister, Kier Starmer, raised this in 2024 and tasked Baroness Casey with an independent review of social care back in 2025. So, whilst Andy Burnham’s commitments are not new about the issue of social care, what is different?

Commitment to social care reform

The Prime Minister has said that social care reform is a priority for the Government. This is a different stance than previous PMs. He has spoken about creating a system that gives people dignity, security and support, while also bringing health and social care closer together.

The aim is to build a new National Care Service that helps people get the right support when they need it. There is also hope that this will help the National Health Service (NHS) because there is a significant overlap between the issues faced by the NHS and the issues with our social care system.

The Casey Commission, led by Baroness Louise Casey, is gathering views from the public through the Big Conversation on Care. This gives people a chance to say what they think works well, what needs to change, and what good care should mean in everyday life.

Have your say

The Big Conversation on Care is open to people across England to feedback on social care. NRAS encourages people living with RA, JIA, their families and loved ones to share their experiences and views.

Why this matters for people with RA and JIA

Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) and juvenile idiopathic arthritis (JIA) are long-term autoimmune conditions. These are complex conditions which affect people in a multitude of ways but often include pain, limited mobility, fatigue which can then impact someone’s mental wellbeing, education, work and family life.

NRAS knows from previous surveys that people living with RA do often need additional help to manage their condition whether from family and loved ones or from professional services. However our survey also highlighted that 63% of people didn’t want to rely too heavily on their families and 49% said they couldn’t afford to purchase services for care and support.

Will this impact things outside of England?

Whilst Andy Burnham is Prime Minister for the whole of the UK, his reach for social care reform (and NHS reform) is limited to England as health and social care are devolved. it is widely accepted though that the issues with NHS and social care in England are largely identical in all of our devolved nations (Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland). As the Prime Minister’s commitment and the independent commission on social care develops, we will keep and eye on the Governments in the 3 devolved nations to see if there are any lessons learnt or shared.