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Former UK Health Secretary suggests taxpayers must pay more to fund social care

The BBC reported, former Health Secretary Jeremy Hunt has said, taxpayers should pay more to help fund social care.
But Mr Hunt, who managed the country's health budget between 2012 and 2018, warned against raising national insurance or income tax.
According to the BBC, the senior Conservative MP said he favoured a new "health and care premium".
The BBC said, newspaper reports have suggested the government is looking at a rise of at least 1% in national insurance rates.
In their 2019 election manifesto, the Conservatives pledged not to increase the rate of income tax, VAT or national insurance.
The BBC mentioned, the Daily Telegraph reports that Downing Street favours a 1% rise in the national insurance rate, affecting about 25 million workers and self-employed people, as well as employers. But it says the Treasury is pushing for a 1.25% increase.

And the Times adds that Health and Social Care Secretary Sajid Javid wants a bigger rise of 2%.
For someone on average earnings of £29,536 a year, a 1% increase in national insurance would cost them £199.68 annually.
The government said it was "committed to bringing forward a long-term plan to reform the social care system".
In a statement, it said proposals would be set out this year.
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Writing in the Daily Telegraph, Mr Hunt, who now chairs the Commons health committee, said any tax rise to fund social care would be "a brave step for a Conservative government".
While "uncomfortable" for his party, he said the issue could only be solved through the tax system.
"However, a rise in income tax feels very unconservative after the progress in reducing it during the 1980s, and national insurance disproportionately targets the young," he said.
"Therefore, I personally favour a new health and care premium.
"Given that health spending is going to dwarf all other spending in the years ahead, such a premium would allow an honest debate at every election about the level of funding we want.
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"It would be separate to a discussion about how much is spent in other departments and would also mean a fairer comparison about the tax burden with countries operating insurance-based systems."
It should be noted that Mr Hunt was health secretary between 2012 and 2018 and also took on responsibility for social care policy for his final six months in the role, when his department was rebranded to cover both health and social care.
That joint department remains in place until this day, with Sajid Javid currently at the helm,
Source: BBC
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- April 23, 2025
BENEFIT, the Kingdom’s innovator and leading company in Fintech and electronic financial transactions service, has sponsored the BuildHer CityHack 2025 Hackathon, a two-day event spearheaded by the College of Engineering and Technology at the Royal University for Women (RUW).
Aimed at secondary school students, the event brought together a distinguished group of academic professionals and technology experts to mentor and inspire young participants.
More than 100 high school students from across the Kingdom of Bahrain took part in the hackathon, which featured an intensive programme of training workshops and hands-on sessions. These activities were tailored to enhance participants’ critical thinking, collaborative problem-solving, and team-building capabilities, while also encouraging the development of practical and sustainable solutions to contemporary challenges using modern technological tools.
BENEFIT’s Chief Executive Mr. Abdulwahed AlJanahi, commented: “Our support for this educational hackathon reflects our long-term strategic vision to nurture the talents of emerging national youth and empower the next generation of accomplished female leaders in technology. By fostering creativity and innovation, we aim to contribute meaningfully to Bahrain’s comprehensive development goals and align with the aspirations outlined in the Kingdom’s Vision 2030—an ambition in which BENEFIT plays a central role.”
Professor Riyadh Yousif Hamzah, President of the Royal University for Women, commented: “This initiative reflects our commitment to advancing women in STEM fields. We're cultivating a generation of creative, solution-driven female leaders who will drive national development. Our partnership with BENEFIT exemplifies the powerful synergy between academia and private sector in supporting educational innovation.”
Hanan Abdulla Hasan, Senior Manager, PR & Communication at BENEFIT, said: “We are honoured to collaborate with RUW in supporting this remarkable technology-focused event. It highlights our commitment to social responsibility, and our ongoing efforts to enhance the digital and innovation capabilities of young Bahraini women and foster their ability to harness technological tools in the service of a smarter, more sustainable future.”
For his part, Dr. Humam ElAgha, Acting Dean of the College of Engineering and Technology at the University, said: “BuildHer CityHack 2025 embodies our hands-on approach to education. By tackling real-world problems through creative thinking and sustainable solutions, we're preparing women to thrive in the knowledge economy – a cornerstone of the University's vision.”
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