𝓤𝓷𝓲𝓽𝓮𝓭 𝓝𝓮𝔀𝓼

Andy Burnham’s plan for a “death tax” would mean an average homeowner hit with a £75,000 bill, according to new analysis by Reform UK. There are fears that the Prime Minister could slap a 10% levy on all estates to pay for social care reforms.

The move would cost an average mortgage-free homeowner in England and Wales £74,737, while the figure stands at £50,669 for those in Mr Burnham’s Makerfield constituency, analysis by Nigel Farage’s party claims.

Reform’s Treasury spokesman Robert Jenrick 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.

“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.”

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 pay for the then-Labour government’s proposed national care service, but the move was scuppered by the Tories.

He refused to rule out reviving the proposals earlier this week when asked how his social care reforms would be funded.

But 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.”