Sir Andrew Dilnot stated that establishing an NHS-style social care system for England might take several decades to put into practice. Furthermore, Sir Andrew Dilnot confirmed that the expense of such a social care scheme would be "very substantial".
The Health Foundation estimated that a universal social care system in England, where the government funds all support, could cost approximately £18.5bn annually. Sir Andrew Dilnot believes an NHS-style social care system could cost "well in excess of £18bn".
A Scottish model for social care, according to Sir Andrew Dilnot, could cost half the amount cited for an NHS-style system. Sir Andrew Dilnot's own commission proposed a lifetime cap of £35,000.
The implementation of the cap proposed by Sir Andrew Dilnot was delayed until 2020. Currently, people in England and Northern Ireland cannot receive council help with care costs if their assets exceed £23,250, including their home.
Andy Burnham suggested his social care proposals would ensure "everyone contributes, everyone is covered".
