Community Integrated Care is one of Britain’s biggest social care charities, employing 6,000 colleagues and supporting 3,500 people across England and Scotland.

In 2021 we partnered with the world’s leading experts in job evaluation – Korn Ferry – to conduct the first-ever independent assessment of the frontline Support Worker role, assessing its true value across sectors. Our research proved that the role is a skilled, complex and accountable one, equivalent to a Band 3 NHS worker but paid thousands of pounds a year less.

Now three years on, ‘Who Cares Wins’ – Unfair To Care 2024 – presents a juxtaposing message of both crisis and opportunity. With a shocking 36% pay gap – £7,617 a year – remaining between the average care worker and their equivalent role in the NHS, paired with the social care sector facing 152,000 vacancies each day and a 28.3% annual turnover, change must happen.

The report highlights growing public, sector, and political support, making an evidence-based case for investing in fair pay to achieve a new ‘Social Care Triple Win’: delivering better lives for people who deliver and draw on social care, cost-effective and sustainable care and health services and wider economic growth and productivity.

As we enter a pivotal election year, we believe social care will be a determining issue in how the public approach the ballot box. There is a potential 2.6 million strong ‘social care vote’ which could be a critical factor in the outcome of the 2024 General Election.

Our message is clear: Who Cares Wins.

8 Key Facts From The Report
  • 36%

    Percentage uplift needed for a Support Worker to have parity with their NHS counterpart

  • £7,617

    The equivalent cash uplift needed for parity

  • 1.52 million

    The size of the social care workforce in England in 2023

  • 152,000

    Vacant roles in social care with a turnover rate of 28.3%

  • 95%

    Of adults in England say that social care workers are important to society

  • 70%

    Of the public believe that social care workers should be paid the same as their equivalents in the NHS

  • 77%

    Of MPs polled recognised that social care workers are paid unfairly

  • 8 in 10

    MPs agree that the next government must act to improve pay, and terms and conditions for social care work

Read Unfair To Care 2024

‘Who Cares Wins’ – Unfair To Care 2024 explores how social care is set to be a pivotal electoral issue in 2024, with low and unfair pay having the potential to influence the voting intentions of 2.6 million people.

Change

Must

Happen

We are calling on the Government to:

  • IMMEDIATELY: Provide an immediate and fair pay rise to all frontline social care workers 
  • WITHIN 12 MONTHS OF THE 2024 GENERAL ELECTION: Deliver a fair pay deal supported by national funding.
  • WITHIN THE LIFETIME OF THE NEXT PARLIAMENT: Create a new national workforce plan to make social care a viable, respected and sustainable career 

Ways you can support

1. Email your MP

Call for action using our pre-populated message.

  1. Click ‘Auto Copy Message’ below
  2. Find your MP using our postcode search
  3. Click ‘Send Message’ next to their photo
  4. Paste your pre-populated email, enter your details and click send

OR COPY AND PASTE THE TEXT ABOVE

2. Share campaign assets on Social Media

We’ve created some graphics for you to share on your social media feeds to show your friends and followers that you are supporting frontline social care workers to get the pay they deserve.

Download Social Assets

3. Download our media pack

For all media enquiries relating to the campaign please email unfairtocare@c-i-c.co.uk

Download campaign pack Download the media pack

About Community Integrated Care

Community Integrated Care is one of Britain’s biggest and most successful social care charities. We support thousands of people across England and Scotland who have care and support needs, such as learning disabilities, mental health concerns, autism, dementia and acquired brain injuries, to lead The Best Life Possible. We are proud to have been recognised for our impact and innovation as the Charity Times ‘Charity of the Year’, and at sector honours such as the Skills for Care Accolades, National Care Awards and Great British Care Awards.

We believe that social care is the backbone of society. It is underfunded, under-appreciated and needs progressive reform to ensure fair pay for colleagues and fair care for all. That’s why our national strategy, ‘We Dare’, makes an absolute commitment to championing the sector – our colleagues, communities and the people we support. We are determined to fight for this cause with partners across the sector and society to ensure that it can be fair to care.

Contact Us