The Care Workers Charity expresses its disappointment at the lack of emphasis on social care in the King’s Speech. Karolina Gerlich, CEO of The Care Workers’ Charity, says “It is disappointing not to see social care prominently featured in the King’s Speech. This sector, vital to the wellbeing of our society, deserves urgent attention and support.
We welcome the details of The Employment Bill, with changes aimed at improving workers’ rights. Statutory Sick Pay that allows care workers to take time off when needed to care for themselves and protect those they support is a crucial issue that care workers frequently discuss with us. We are pleased to see plans to ensure Statutory Sick Pay is available to all workers and to eliminate the waiting period.
The establishment of a Fair Pay Agreement in the adult social care sector is a positive step. However, we call for more information on what this will look like and how it will be implemented. Care workers are continually listed as one of the lowest-paying roles in the UK and are paid, on average, 36% less than their NHS equivalents. We urge the new government to set a clear timeframe on the fair pay agreement. Pay agreements should consider not only hourly rates (which should not be less than £15) but also pay progression, and pay for travel time, and mandatory training.
With an aging population the care sector is forecast to grow by 25% over the next decade. The government must give social care the level of attention it requires. This is a conversation for now, not the future. We are committed to working alongside our social care colleagues, including frontline care workers, and the government to ensure the necessary support and changes are in place for the social care sector.”