But final report on reforms would not emerge until 2028, which health leaders say is kicking crisis ‘into the long grass’

• Wes Streeting: Britain has a social care crisis. Here’s how Labour plans to fix it
• Fixing UK social care will be biggest challenge yet for Louise Casey

Ministers are to launch a historic independent commission to reform adult social care, as they warned older people could be left without vital help and the NHS overwhelmed unless a “national consensus” was reached on fixing a “failing” system.

The taskforce, to be led by the cross-bench peer Louise Casey, will be charged with developing plans for a new national care service, a Labour election manifesto pledge, in the biggest shake-up to social care in England in decades.