Lucy Powell, Labour's deputy leader and education secretary, has refused to definitively rule out scrapping the state pension triple lock despite her party's stated commitment to the policy. The triple lock mechanism guarantees that pensions rise annually by whichever is highest—inflation, 2.5 per cent, or average earnings—and there is growing speculation that scrapping it could help fund Labour's plans for free social care in England, though Powell would not confirm whether this is under consideration for the next manifesto.

The state pension is projected to rise by approximately £2,000 per year under current policies. Powell told Sky News that Labour remains committed to the triple lock as outlined in its 2024 manifesto, but declined to comment on future plans. Prime Minister Andy Burnham is expected to unveil further details on social care funding at Labour's annual conference in Liverpool, with any reforms postponed until after the next election pending publication of Baroness Louise Casey's social care review. Trade union leaders have criticised the possibility of removing the triple lock, with Unite's leader describing it as "morally wrong" and "electoral suicide".