Reform UK has claimed that Andy Burnham's plan for a 'death tax' would leave the average mortgage-free homeowner in England and Wales with a bill of £74,737. The analysis by Nigel Farage's party also estimates the cost for homeowners in the Prime Minister's Makerfield constituency at £50,669.
Reform UK warns against 'destroying inheritance'
Robert Jenrick, Reform UK's Treasury spokesman, said: “As a thank you for electing him, Burnham is considering imposing a universal death tax, in a move that would cost his average constituent a whopping £50,000, just as they are grieving at the loss of a loved one.”
He added: “Andy Burnham has no mandate whatsoever to raid people’s precious savings. Voters have already rejected a death tax on four separate occasions. Reform UK demands Burnham thinks again before destroying the inheritance of millions of people.”
Background and government response
Mr Burnham is expected to give more details on his Government’s plans for social care in a speech on Wednesday. When he was health secretary in 2010, he suggested a 10% tax on people's estates after they died to fund the then-Labour government’s proposed national care service, but the move was blocked by the Tories.
He refused to rule out reviving the proposals earlier this week when asked how his social care reforms would be funded. However, the Government has insisted that there are no plans to resurrect the 'death tax'.
A government spokesperson said: “There are no plans for this. Fixing our social care system will require building a broad consensus. The old way of doing politics has held up social care reform for decades. Our immediate focus is on working together to find common ground and deliver the reforms needed to fix the future of social care – not imposing one particular solution or tax.”
