pitiful-social-care-cash-boost-must-fund-£15-hour

GMB, the union for care workers, has responded to today’s ‘paltry’ social care funding announcement by the Government.

Rachel Harrison, GMB National Officer, said:

“Care workers have been waiting more than two years for this so-called plan.

“The workforce looks set to plummet to 170,000 vacancies – 10% of all roles – by the end of the year. The highest ever staffing black hole, with up to 70,000 more set to leave thanks to the Government’s mandatory vaccination rules.

“Now it seems like social care will have to wait three years for a what is paltry sum in terms of reforming the service. It’s beyond a joke.

“Any credible plan for the future of social care must give a proper pay rise to the people doing the work – that's how you start tackling the massive understaffing crisis.

"GMB is campaigning for a £15 an hour minimum as the centre-piece of any National Care Service.

“Regardless of how we fund social care – and a pitiful amount raised by flawed National Insurance hike is not the best way – the system will continue to fail unless cash is ring-fenced for workers.”