Labour refuses to guarantee National Care Service legislation in first term

“It will take time to build the social care system that we desperately want and need in this country,” said Mr Streeting.

He said that the party’s “first steps” would involve the recruitment and training of staff on better wages, consistent national standards and a clamp-down on private-equity-owned care homes.

However, Mr Streeting would not commit to his party to legislate for the creation of the National Care Service in either the King’s Speech or first term in government.

“Initially, it's about stabilising the system, so I don't think we're going to be jumping straight in with the legislation.

“We’re going to look very carefully at what legislation might be needed and what regulatory reform might be needed, but we will work with the system on that.

“Under successive governments, there’s plenty of blame to go around on social care, we’ve seen a failure to grip this issue,” he added.

Health experts and charities have previously said that the long-term funding of social care will require some form of tax rise to pay for it, with previous plans proving unpopular for Labour and the Conservatives, especially during general election campaigns.

Polling released yesterday by Survation suggested that Labour holds a 23-point lead over the Conservatives, with a large-sample poll from Redfield & Wilton Strategies indicating the same.

Rachel Reeves, the shadow chancellor, yesterday said there would be “no additional tax rises” needed under Labour beyond those previously set out such as VAT on private school fees in order to fund its commitments.

Caroline Abrahams, Charity Director at Age UK said: "It has taken years of neglect for social care to get into the lamentable state it is in today: chronically underfunded, short staffed, unable to guarantee a decent service, or in some cases any service at all, big bills for mediocre provision, yet underpaying committed care professionals and leaving unpaid carers to shoulder too much of the load - the list goes on and on.

“So, realistically, we have to accept that Rome will not be built in a day and that it will take time to restore social care under whichever party wins the General Election.

"However, older people do not have time on their side. Many have already waited too long for the social care they need to sustain their independence and live life on their own terms.”

It comes as Labour refused to back the Conservatives’ new “Triple Lock Plus” commitment for pensioners, suggesting that it is a £2.4 billion unfunded commitment.

The Prime Minister promised to increase the income tax personal allowance for pensioners, giving them a tax cut worth around £95 in 2025-26, rising to £275 in 2029-30.

The move follows suggestions that older voters were unhappy with the Conservatives after cuts to National Insurance meant pensioners missed out on a tax cut in recent budgets.

Mr Sunak sought to set this out as a dividing line between the two main parties, with pensioners paying tax under Labour. “That’s a clear choice on offer”, he said.

Due to a freeze of tax thresholds put in place by Rishi Sunak and Jeremy Hunt, the value of the state pension is set to rise above the tax-free allowance, with the Institute for Fiscal Studies (IFS) arguing that the move is less of a tax cut, and more of a measure to avoid a tax rise that was going to happen.