September 2021
Jeremy Hunt MP: Taxpayers must pay more to fund social care
The BBC reports that the former Health Secretary, Jeremy Hunt MP, has said taxpayers should pay more to help fund social care. But Mr Hunt, who led the NHS between 2012 and 2018 and is now Chair of the Health Select Committee, warned against raising national insurance or income tax. Instead he said he favoured a new “health and care premium” paid by all including working pensioners. Some media reports have suggested the government is looking at a rise of at least 1% in national insurance rates. In their 2019 election manifesto, the Conservatives pledged not to increase the rate of income tax, VAT or national insurance.