Recommendation 10

HM Government Acknowledged

Details of the level of funding provided to the social care system during the COVID-19 pandemic and at the 2020 Spending Review can be found in the preface to these responses. 7.1 We recognise the hard work of all social care workers to support those with care needs during the pandemic. We agree with the committee that finding a more sustainable model for social care should be at the centre of any future plans, and that this is a multifaceted challenge faced by the adult social care sector. 7.2 Most care workers are employed by private sector providers who ultimately set their pay, independently of central government. As set out in statutory guidance, local authorities should work with care providers to determine a fair rate of pay based on local market conditions. Government is clear that all social care workers are entitled to be paid at least the National Minimum Wage (NMW) or National Living Wage (NLW) for the work that they do. 7.3 In the 2020 Spending Review, Government accepted the recommendations of the Low Pay Commission to increase the NMW and NLW from April 2021. Care workers on the current NLW will benefit from at least a 2.2% pay rise from April, furthermore the eligibility will be extended to those aged 23 and over (previously 25 and over). 7.4 Employers are legally required to pay Statutory Sick Pay (SSP) to eligible employees who are sick or incapable of work. Part of the purpose of the Infection Control Fund is to supplement SSP to support those who are self-isolating, or test positive with COVID-19, allowing employees to be in receipt of full pay and prevent financial burden being a barrier to reducing transmission. We know that most providers are paying full pay for to those self-isolating and we are working with local authorities to see how we can further improve this. 7.5 The department also takes seriously its commitment to improving the sustainability of the social care workforce. This is a complex area that requires all options to be considered. We know that approximately a quarter of the adult social care workforce are on zero-hour contracts, which may make them more vulnerable at this time. Zero-hours and flexible contracts can however cover a whole range of arrangements and provide appropriate flexibility in working arrangements. 7.6 As important in improving the conditions for care workers is our commitment to the wellbeing of the workforce. Government has worked alongside the NHS and other organisations to develop a package of emotional, psychological and practical resources for the workforce. Wherever possible the same offer is in place for all social care staff as is for their colleagues in the NHS. 7.7 In June 2020, DHSC published a COVID-19 adult social care workforce risk reduction framework to support employers to sensitively discuss and manage specific risks to their staff – this includes risk by ethnicity, but also age, sex and underlying health conditions. It is crucial that we have a clear and accurate understanding of these challenges, and the work of the COVID-19 Social Care Support Taskforce provides an evidence base to support future improvements. 7.8 The Equalities and Human Rights Commission has launched its inquiry into the treatment and experience of ethnic minority workers in lower paid roles in the health and social care sectors across England, Scotland and Wales. The evidence and outcomes of this Inquiry will further improve our understanding of the experiences and barriers faced by BAME staff and support future direction-setting. 7.9 Going forwards we want to work with stakeholders to ensure we have the strongest possible evidence on the relationships between workforce supply, pay, and the cost of care. We are committed to working with stakeholders to ensure that expertise and experience, including the Health Foundation material to which the Committee refers, are built into our approach. The extent to which we seek more consistency with the NHS should be reflective of the diversity of social care services across the sector. It is important that solutions consider the unique commissioning and provider structures of the NHS and social care respectively. We will consider all options and make sure we progress in ways that are right for the sector. 7.10 Whilst Adult Social Care is a devolved matter, DHSC officials working on pay, recruitment and recognition for the adult social care workforce have met regularly with their counterparts in the Devolved Administrations. This has included one-off roundtable discussions, regular meetings around specific topics such as social work, and ad hoc meetings as required. Topics of discussion have included: the development of new recruitment tools; pay for staff who are self-isolating; long-term strategy on pay; the CARE brand; and distribution of CARE badges to the workforce.