Burnham pledges to end pension triple lock in 2030 to fund care reforms

September 29, 2026 at 10:39 PM2 min

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Prime Minister Andy Burnham announced plans to end the state pension triple lock from 2030 to help fund a new national care service in England. He made the pledge in his first Labour Party conference speech as prime minister in Liverpool. The move would remove the automatic link between pension increases and average earnings, keeping rises at inflation or 2.5%.

Key Facts

Burnham said the pension triple lock would end in 2030, with state pension increases thereafter based on inflation or 2.5%, not average earnings.
The savings from the triple lock change would help fund a new national care service in England, which Burnham said would be free at the point of use and fully funded without borrowing.
Burnham delivered the announcement in his first Labour Party conference speech as prime minister, speaking for more than an hour in Liverpool.
Burnham also proposed greater public control over housing, water and energy services, and potential reform of the UK electoral system.
The triple lock was introduced in 2010 by the coalition government to ensure pension value kept pace with living costs or working incomes.

Pension Triple Lock Change

Burnham said the existing state pension triple lock would end in 2030, removing the automatic annual link with average earnings. Under his plan, the state pension would increase every year at least by inflation or 2.5%, whichever is higher. He argued the change would generate 'significant savings' to help fund social care reforms in England. The triple lock was introduced in 2010 by the coalition government and currently raises pension rates each April by inflation, earnings growth, or 2.5%.

National Care Service Funding

Burnham said the savings from the triple lock change would help fund a new national care service in England, free at the point of use. He stated the service would be 'fully funded and not through borrowing', with plans developed for the 2029 Labour manifesto. Burnham described the national care service as 'as significant as the creation of the NHS itself'. He acknowledged he may 'pay a political price' for the reforms but said 'someone has to go through the pain barrier and rip the plaster off'.

Conference Speech and Broader Agenda

Burnham spoke for more than an hour at the Labour Party conference in Liverpool, at times pausing and appearing to hold back tears as he referred to his father, Roy, who died earlier this month. He called for greater public control over housing, water and energy services, and potential reform of the UK's electoral system. Burnham said he wanted to 'draw a line on a decade of division' and 'put the country on a new path'.