Andy Burnham shares his father’s Alzheimer’s journey & commitment to social care reform

Prime Minister Andy Burnham has spoken openly about the impact Alzheimer's disease has had on his own family, revealing that his father, who is living with the condition, is unaware that his son has become Prime Minister.

Speaking about his personal experience, Burnham described the emotional realities of dementia while highlighting the urgent need to improve adult social care. His comments have brought renewed attention to the challenges faced every day by people living with dementia, their families, unpaid carers and the dedicated professionals who support them.

In a speech on Wednesday 29th July 2026, the Prime Minister has announced plans to bring forward long-awaited reforms to England's social care system.

The proposals include accelerating plans for a National Care Service, improving pay, training and career progression for care workers, and launching cross-party talks aimed at addressing the long-term challenges facing social care.

For the almost one million people living with dementia across the UK, meaningful improvements to social care could have a significant impact on quality of life. Better support for care workers and families is an important step towards ensuring people affected by dementia receive the compassionate, high-quality care they deserve.

At BRACE, we welcome renewed attention on improving care while continuing to support the research that will lead to earlier diagnosis, better treatments and, one day, a cure.