FREE personal care will be extended to hundreds of thousands of older people as part of Labour’s plans to create a “truly universal” health service, Jeremy Corbyn pledged yesterday.

The Labour leader plans to double the number of people in receipt of state-funded care for help with daily tasks, while reducing the “catastrophic costs” faced by people in their later years.

Mr Corbyn also promised to scrap prescription charges in England and Wales, and to set up a state-owned drugs manufacturer to undercut big pharma companies.

While visiting a pharmacy in the marginal constituency of Watford yesterday evening, Mr Corbyn promised that the NHS under Labour’s stewardship will put “public health ahead of private wealth.”

And he criticised Monday’s Queen’s Speech for failing to set out any social care legislation.

Mr Corbyn said: “Healthcare is a human right. Nobody should be worried about being able to afford the medicines they need, and our NHS should not be priced out of providing the drugs people need because of pharmaceutical companies charging extortionate prices for medicines.

“The right to healthcare extends to the right to dignity and security in old age.

“Under the Tories, our social care sector is in a scandalous state, with one million people not getting the care they need.”

The GMB union said it was “scandalous” that Labour has to introduce free personal care for older people, as it should be recognised by the current Tory government as a “basic human right.”

National officer Kelly Andrews told the Star: “The Conservatives have shown once again they are a government full of broken promises.

“They have failed to deliver on the green paper and social care has been forgotten about in the Queen’s Speech.

“Empty pledges [that] the government will bring forward reform in adult social care is no good to vulnerable service users or the dedicated workforce.

“Labour is showing they are prepared to deal with the problem, without expecting older people to pay the cost twice.”

Healthcare workers’ union Unison also welcomed the policy.

Assistant general secretary Christina McAnea said: “The government’s failure to address the social care crisis has placed an intolerable burden on the NHS.

“Unison backs any measures that increase access to healthcare and improve the nation’s health.”