Boris Johnson asks MPs to solve social care crisis after admitting he doesn’t have a plan

Aim for cross-party talks in May – but letter suggests government will start with blank piece of paper

All MPs and peers have been asked to come up with solutions to the social care crisis, after Boris Johnson admitted his claim to have a plan was untrue.

In an extraordinary letter, Matt Hancock, the health secretary, has asked them all to “share their views” – with the aim of kickstarting talks in May.

The move comes after the prime minister acknowledged he had no proposals, despite claiming – as he entered No 10 last summer – to have a “clear plan to give every older person the dignity and security they deserve”.

Mr Johnson then promised “a plan this year”, but the letter sent to MPs and peers suggests the government is starting with a blank piece of paper, despite the gathering crisis.

Around 1.4 million people in need are already believed to be going without care, and the sector is plagued by 122,000 vacancies – even before a harsh post-Brexit immigration crackdown next year.

“We want to hear your views, your proposed solutions and your concerns about reforming the way that people pay for their care,” Mr Hancock has written.

The move comes after council bosses warned that, without an overhaul of social care, local services in England face a funding gap of almost £6.5bn by 2025.

Labour immediately agreed to join any talks, but warned they were unlikely to succeed without the government putting forward effective proposals.

The party is likely to propose its manifesto policy – free personal care for older people and a lifetime cap on care costs – but there would need to be agreement on the tax rises to pay for it.

Barbara Keeley, Labour’s social care spokesperson, said: “The prime minister promised voters that he had a plan to fix the social care crisis but now all we see is an open-ended invitation for comments.

“As we have repeatedly said, cross-party talks can only be effective when the government comes forward with its proposals for reform. It is clear that it does not have a plan to fix the crisis in social care.”

Caroline Abrahams, charity director at Age UK, echoed the criticism, saying: “Unfortunately, this announcement, issued on a Friday afternoon, will not fill anyone who cares about the future of social care with much confidence.

“It is always good for ministers to seek alternative views, but it is very disappointing that they appear not to be offering any of their own at this stage.”

In the letter, Mr Hancock writes: “We need action now, finally, to seek a solution that can support future generations.

“We will seek to build cross-party consensus so that the reforms we progress will last long into the future, nobody is forced to sell their home to pay for care and everybody accessing care has safety and security.”

But he added: “Of course any solution needs to consider the financial impact on taxpayers.”