Tens of thousands of care workers are planning to bring Westminster to a standstill in protest at Rachel Reeves’s "punishing" Budget tax raid.

       The unprecedented uprising - the first in history by those running and employed in the battered social care sector - comes amid warnings the Chancellor Rachel Reeves's National Insurance and wage increases will trigger the collapse of a “indispensable pillar” of Britain’s healthcare infrastructure.

       And failure to address the deepening crisis could see services withdrawn as campaigners plot more aggressive action.

       The extraordinary revolt will see social care workers, providers, and supporters, for decades known for their tolerance and understanding, rise up and demonstrate outside Parliament in the face of moves by Labour they say could permanently destroy the foundations of care.

       The protest on February 25 follows similar protests by GPs, nurses, doctors and farmers as discontent spills on to the streets.

       Mike Padgham, Chair of The Independent Care Group which speaks for care providers, said: “The Government has missed a vital opportunity. Investment in social care helps those who need support and also provides a boost to the economy.

       “The Government has ignored that social care employs 1.6m people and contributes ￡68.1bn to the economy – with the right investment it could employ and contribute even more.

       “Care providers want to grow, invest and innovate, care for more people, employ more staff and help drive economic growth and aid efforts to kick-start the economy.

       “Instead, the sector continues to be left out in the cold and in crisis. Now 2m people cannot get the social care they need and that can mean others having to take time out of work to look after them, which is bad news for economic growth.”

       The protest has been organised by Providers Unite, a grassroots coalition uniting community care and support providers across the UK, in response to Budget measures that will come into effect on April 6.

       Then employers will pay 15% in National Insurance contributions on salaries above ￡5,000, compared with 13.8% on salaries above ￡9,100 now.

       In addition, the National Living Wage will increase to ￡12.21 an hour, while the National Minimum Wage, for those aged 18-20, will rise to ￡10 an hour.

       The triple whammy will have a catastrophic impact on the fragile sector and has sparked panic with small and medium-sized providers, who provide capacity for the lion’s share of those in receipt of adult social care, fearing they will be forced to close.

       That would send the system into meltdown, with a huge loss of space at a time the number of people going without care spikes, heaping further pressure on family carers and an overrun NHS.

       It could also mean thousands of patients would not be able to be discharged from hospitals, further exacerbating a long-standing bed-blocking crisis.

       Providers Unite has warned of the “systemic collapse of care services across Britain” resulting from an unmanageable financial burden.

       Campaigners say the critically underfunded sector needs ￡8.4bn to meet future demand and improve access to care but Budget announcements have substantially added to sky-high existing costs.

       In a letter to Ms Reeves the coalition said: “We write as a united voice, urging you to consider the profound impact of the proposed tax increases on all those who depend on us. Like GPs, pharmacies and hospices, we are independent businesses and charities embedded in every corner of our communities, committed to supporting citizens with diverse needs. With the state funding more than 70% of our work, we deliver an essential public service.

       “The current Budget measures risks eroding the foundations of the public services we deliver, which extend far beyond elderly care. They include mental health, domiciliary care, learning disabilities, supported living, and other specialised services. To remain viable, these services require appropriate levels of state funding to meet the varied and growing needs of our communities.

       “While we acknowledge the Government’s responsibility to address the ￡59 billion public deficit, the new Budget measures threaten to deepen an already critical ￡8.4 billion funding shortfall in our sector.”

       Professor Martin Green, Chief Executive of Care England, the charity representing independent providers, said: “The Government must take action before it’s too late.

       "The message is crystal clear: We are watching the fabric of our care system unravel in front of our eyes. If the Government fails to act now, services will close, people will go without care, families will be left to shoulder unbearable burdens - and the NHS, already on its knees, will collapse under the weight of unmet social care needs. Every day of inaction pushes providers to implement their exit strategies and scale back services to a point from which there may be no return."

       Analysis by the Nuffield Trust estimates social care providers face a ￡2.8 billion hit due to NI and wage increases.