London Daily

Focus on the big picture.
Tuesday, Aug 04, 2026

Archbishop of Canterbury calls for leaders to fix social care

Archbishop of Canterbury calls for leaders to fix social care

The Archbishop of Canterbury has urged the government to take action to fix the country's "broken" social care system in his new year message.
The Most Reverend Justin Welby said care homes were struggling to deal with rising bills while trying to find the staff needed to keep going.

He said the country needed to "rise to the challenge" to repair the industry.

The government said in response that it was providing £7.5bn in support over the next two years.

The archbishop's televised message comes as he prepares to publish a report on the social care crisis in January, which will cover how he thinks the system can be fixed.

He has worked on the research - which has focused on ways to create a fairer social care system - for two years alongside the Archbishop of York, Stephen Cottrell.

In his message - which will be broadcast on BBC One at 12:55 GMT on Sunday - Mr Welby said: "We know our care system is broken, but it doesn't have to be. We can rise to the challenge of fixing it. That means action from all of us: you, me, families, communities, government.

"Caring goes to the heart of what it means to be human. It is hard, but it can also be the most life-giving thing we ever do. It comes back to that essential lesson: we need each other."

He added that looking after elderly relatives was a "privilege", and he would "rejoice" that his own 93-year-old mother was still alive.

And Mr Welby stressed the importance of ensuring the work of carers was properly valued by society.

Currently a care worker in England is paid on average £8,000 a year less than NHS staff with the same skills, charity research for care provider Community Integrated Solutions has suggested.

The archbishop said: "Why work as a carer when you might get paid more in less demanding jobs? Caring's certainly not easy. Good carers are wonderful people to be valued."

He said his report would offer a "hopeful vision of our society", where "no-one is held back, overlooked, or treated as a burden".

He said families and unpaid carers should get support too.

The report follows the government placing a two-year delay on reforms to the system that will see a lifetime cap on social care costs in England.

Jeremy Hunt paused the plans in November, and said the funding would instead be used to increase the adult social care and NHS budget.

If the lifetime cap goes ahead, people in England will not spend more than £86,000 on their personal care costs in their lifetime, with the government paying any additional costs.

In a statement, a Government spokesman said ministers had prioritised social care in last month's autumn statement making available up to £7.5bn in support over the next two years.

"This will allow more people to access high-quality care and help address some of the challenges in the sector - including waiting lists, low fee rates, and workforce pressures," the spokesman said.

"The government remains committed to delivering adult social care charging reform and supporting those who need it, which is why we are giving local authorities additional time to prepare and providing more funding to help with their immediate pressures."

Meanwhile, Prime Minister Rishi Sunak released a video message on social media marking the new year, in which he said he was confident "better times lie ahead" and he wanted people to feel "hopeful" going into 2023.

"I may have only had the job for several weeks at this point, but actually I feel good about the future," he said.

"I feel positive about the change that we can bring so that we can improve everyone's lives, so that we can deliver the peace of mind that people are looking for in the here and now."

Mr Sunak's video address struck a more upbeat tone than his earlier message when he said the UK's problems will not go away in 2023.
Comments

Mark Antrobus 4 year ago
The Church needs to stay out of politics, just as Jesus refused to get drawn into speaking out against the Romans.

Newsletter

Related Articles

0:00
0:00
Close
Aston Martin Faces Legal Threat Over £550m Rescue Deal
Reform UK Wants the Royal Navy to Return Channel Boats to France
US and Japan Step In to Support the Yen in Rare Joint Intervention
The AI Pricing Problem: Companies Cannot Predict Their Own Bills
Europe’s Heat and Drought Are Now Disrupting Power, Shipping and Tourism
Apple’s OpenAI Lawsuit Becomes a Public Fight Over AI Hardware
UK Man Jailed After Keeping His Mother’s Body in a Freezer and Claiming £78,000
A SpaceX Rocket Is About to Crash Into the Moon — and Scientists Hope to Watch
World War II munitions discovered after wildfires in southern France
BP profits reach four-year high amid Middle East conflict
AI Is Remaking the US Economy, From GDP Growth to iPhone Prices
Europe’s Drying Rivers Trigger Power Cuts, Factory Shutdowns and Wildfire Emergencies
UK Driver Sentenced to Four Years for Staged Electric Vehicle Brake Failure Fraud
Conservative Party and Reform UK Face Scrutiny During Clacton By-Election Campaign
Ministry of Justice Reviews Early Release Rules After Public Anger Over Police Killer Cases
NHS Radiographers Report Rising Racist Abuse From Patients Across UK Hospitals
UK Banking Regulators Face Pressure After Customer Loses Fourteen Thousand Pounds in AI Voice Scam
Research Challenges Treasury Control Over UK Public Spending and Calls for Greater Local Decision-Making
Home Office Begins Four-Week Weapons Surrender Campaign Across Major English Cities
Southern England Records Driest July in Nearly Two Centuries as Drought Concerns Grow
Apple Challenges UK Government Request for Access to Encrypted User Data in Legal Fight
BP Reports Sharp Profit Increase as Middle East Conflict Drives Global Oil Prices Higher
Nigel Farage Expresses Openness to Potential Alliance with Restore Britain
AstraZeneca Merger Talks Reflect Intensifying Pharmaceutical Consolidation
University Merger May Set Template for Higher Education Reform
Apple's Legal Challenge Highlights Growing Tension Over Encryption and Surveillance
Prime Minister Andy Burnham's Agenda Signals Shift Toward Greater Regional Devolution
Mental Health Trust Faces Criticism Over Planned £25 Million Budget Cuts
Scientists and Cultural Leaders Call for Funding to Save Jodrell Bank Observatory
UK Manufacturing Output Reaches Highest Level in Nearly Two Years
University of Greenwich and University of Kent Complete Landmark Merger
Nigel Farage Unveils Naval Border Proposal Amid Questions Over £5 Million Donation
Prime Minister Andy Burnham Pledges Tougher Action on Small Boat Crossings
Apple Challenges UK Government Over Encrypted Data Access Demands
AstraZeneca Shares Fall After Reports of $400 Billion Bristol Myers Squibb Merger Talks
Triple Lock Lifts UK State Pension but Leaves a Wider Retirement Gap
Danube Drought Forces Hungary’s Paks Nuclear Plant Into Full Shutdown
Ceuta Death Toll Rises as Spain and Europe Clash Over Border Response
Cuba’s Grid Fails Again as Fuel Crisis Deepens
Nazca Lines Flight Crash Kills Thirteen as Peru Suspends Aerodiana
Modern Slavery Decisions Broaden the Al Fayed Inquiry’s Frame
FIFA’s Retreat Leaves a Larger Question Over Who Guards the Game
Two Firefighting Crew Members Die in Helicopter Collision West of Athens
Public Sector Automation Through Artificial Intelligence
Regional Investment Beyond London
Protection of Strategic Technology Assets
UK Competition Regulator Blocks Major Foreign Takeover of British Quantum Computing Firm
UK Government Commits Two Billion Pounds to Modernise Northern Rail Network
UK Parliament Approves Planning Reforms to Accelerate Housing Construction on Green Belt Land
Scotland Approves Major Floating Offshore Wind Expansion in the North Sea
×