Three quarters of care workers not earning real Living Wage is unconscionable - Angela Rayner
Three quarters of care workers not earning real Living Wage is unconscionable - Angela Rayner

Labour renews calls for Government to fix “moral outrage” of low-paid care workers as new research reveals 69% of social care staff in East of England paid less than real Living Wage.

Labour has renewed its demands for the Government to publish a plan for all social care workers to be paid the real Living Wage, as new research reveals a “moral outrage” of low pay affecting care workers in the East of England.

As Living Wage Week continues, Labour’s Deputy Leader Angela Rayner has demanded action after new figures from the Living Wage Foundation and Citizens UK found that 69% of care workers in the East of England are paid less than the real Living Wage.

Angela Rayner, who was a home care worker and represented social care workers as a trade union official before becoming a Member of Parliament, led Labour’s calls in September for the Government to fix the crisis in social care and publish a plan to ensure all social care workers are paid the real Living Wage.

Among the worst affected areas in East of England for low pay in the care sector were Southend, Peterborough and Luton where 87%, 85% and 84% of care workers are paid less than the real Living Wage. It was announced this week that the real Living Wage has risen to £9.50 in the UK and £10.85 in London.

Across the UK, the analysis of Skills for Care data found that nearly three quarters 73% of care workers are paid less than the real Living Wage. This is despite the care sector being hit hard by the coronavirus pandemic, and public mood being clearly behind a pay rise for care workers. Polling commissioned by Citizens UK for Living Wage Week found that more than eight in ten people back Government investment in social care to fund a pay rise for care workers.

 Angela Rayner, Deputy Leader of the Labour Party, said:

“Ministers fell over themselves to pose for the cameras and clap our carers earlier this year, but applause doesn’t pay the bills and warm words don’t put food on the table.

“It is a moral outrage that 69% per cent of social care workers in the East of England do not even earn the real Living Wage. This situation was wrong before this pandemic, but now it is absolutely unconscionable.

“After all that they have done for all of us, a pay rise is the very least that our care worker heroes deserve”. 

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