Davey says social care system must ‘empower’ disabled people, but Lib Dems are silent on what this means

Liberal Democrat leader Ed Davey has called for the social care system to do more to “empower” disabled people, but without stating what policies his party would introduce to achieve this if it won power at the next general election.

Davey used anecdotes about his disabled son in his main speech to the Liberal Democrat party conference in Brighton on Tuesday, as he did throughout the 2024 election campaign.

But it was unclear what issues he was attempting to highlight in the social care system, and how his party would address them if it won power.

Davey (pictured) did appear to oppose cuts to disability benefits, in contrast to Reform UK, who he said wanted to pay for tax cuts “by ripping £22 billion of crucial support away from disabled people”.

He told the conference that “empowering people by helping everyone to be the best they can be” was the “liberal mission”.

And he said that he and his wife, Emily, had “empowered” their son by teaching him to walk with the use of mobility aids, so he did not have to “spend his life in a wheelchair, permanently”.

He said: “Too many of our social service systems don’t empower people like John. They don’t have that culture. They think care is something you do to people.”

He added: “What we want is a system that empowers us and our children, so we can help them thrive.

“That’s what real care is all about. It doesn’t just manage people, it unlocks their potential.”

But he offered no detail on how his party would address the social care funding crisis, and the wider problems with the system.

Later in the speech, he said his party would fund an increase in the income tax personal allowance to £15,000 within five years – mirroring a Reform UK pledge – through a “bold new partnership with Europe” that would bring growth and tax revenue.

A Liberal Democrat government would also raise the higher rate threshold from £50,270 to £56,000, he said.

This plan would cost an estimated £17 billion a year by the fifth year, which the party claims would be paid for through the “dividends” from its plan for a “Growth and Defence Plan” with Europe, which it estimates would raise £27 billion a year by the end of the fifth year.

Davey said Reform UK’s Treasury spokesperson, Robert Jenrick, had pledged to pay for his party’s tax cuts “by ripping £22 billion of crucial support away from disabled people”.

Davey told party members on Tuesday: “Think about that. Reform say you can have a tax cut, but only if they get to punish disabled people at the same time.

“We say no. We can cut taxes and support the most vulnerable people in our country, because we will pay for our tax cut fairly and honestly.”

Disability News Service asked the Liberal Democrat press office what Davey’s comments meant for the party’s social care policy; what he was referring to when he said social services systems do not empower disabled people; and what his policy solutions were to those concerns; but it had not responded by noon today (Thursday).