Recommendation 9

We welcome the Government’s commitment to bringing forward a long-term solution to low pay in social care. It is essential that this solution provides a sustainable basis for continued rises in pay above and beyond increases to the National Minimum Wage and in line with increases given to NHS staff. Evidence from the Health Foundation and others demonstrates that this must be supported by investment: the Health Foundation estimates that to increase the average pay in social care to just 5% above the National Living Wage, while meeting future demand, would cost an extra £3.9bn per year by 2023–24.