Fact check
“Burnham says the cost of free adult social care is “not that high” compared to £18bn.”
Reasoning
The supplied evidence contains a direct quotation from Andy Burnham in which he rejects the claim that free adult social care would cost £18bn and characterises the cost as "not that high". This aligns precisely with the claim being evaluated.
On confidence: The Guardian live blog directly quotes Burnham rejecting the £18bn figure and stating the cost is "not that high".
Important context
The statement is made in the context of a live political interview where Burnham is asked about the cost of free adult social care, referencing a figure from the Health Foundation.
Evidence
Supporting (1)
- Tier 1 — Primary sourceUK politics live: Burnham confirms he wants new taxes to pay for free social care in England, saying many already paying ‘huge’ dementia costs | Politics | The Guardian
04.23 EDT Burnham rejects claim free social care would cost £18bn, and says people already paying 'huge' costs now Kuenssberg puts it to Burnham that, according to the Health Foundation, a system offering adult social care free at the…
Limitations
The evidence is limited to a single excerpt from a live blog; no additional data on the actual cost estimate is provided.
- Last verified:
- Sep 27, 2026, 6:18 AM CDT
- Pipeline:
- 2.1.0
- Claim type:
- Factual
Where this claim appeared
UK politics live: Burnham confirms he wants new taxes to pay for free social care in England, saying many already paying ‘huge’ dementia costsThe Guardian · Andrew Sparrow