Unfair to care

Community Integrated Care is one of Britain’s biggest social care charities, employing 5000 colleagues and supporting 3500 people across England and Scotland.

Last year, we partnered with the world’s leading experts in job evaluation – Korn Ferry – to conduct an independent assessment of the role of a frontline Support Worker, objectively assessing its true value across sectors. Our findings were published in our first Unfair To Care report in July 2021, providing a first of its kind, in-depth analysis which debunked the myth of social care as a “low skilled” profession.

In fact, the research proved that based on the complexity, responsibility, skills and demands of the role, it was equivalent to jobs in fields such as experienced teaching assistant, police community support officers and healthcare assistant. Even more shocking was the discovery that many Support Workers would be paid significantly more – up to 42% or £7500 – when compared with their NHS equivalents (Band 3 Healthcare Assistants)

This year, we revisit the data and find painfully slow progress has been made. The gap has been preserved at 41%, now a difference of over £8000 a year. Based on the current rates of pay uplifts it will be at least 23 years – a whole generation – until Support Workers are paid on a par with their NHS equivalents.

This is an injustice that not only impacts the dedicated colleagues working in social care and people who draw on support, but society and public services at large. Low pay is a false economy that needs to end.

8 Key Facts From The Report

41%

Percentage uplift needed for a Support Worker to have parity with their NHS counterpart
£8,036

That equates to a cash difference of £8,036
23 years

The time it will take for current rates of uplift to deliver parity with the NHS
3.5 months

The gap means a Support Worker works unpaid for the last 3.5 months of the year
1.73m

The size of the social care workforce in Great Britain, contributing nearly £60bn to the economy
52%

Percentage rise in vacancies in the social care sector in 2021
91%

Percentage of those surveyed who believe social care is important to society
90%

Percentage of those surveyed that state that social care is a skilled or semi-skilled occupation

Read Unfair To Care 2022- 23

Read Unfair To Care 2022-23 to understand how Support Workers now trail behind their NHS colleagues by £8,036 per year and how this is impacting both the lives of our colleagues and the people we support.

View report as a flipbook Download Report as PDF Read Scotland Supplement

Read Unfair To Care 2021

Read last year’s Summary Unfair To Care Report

View report as flip book Download Report as PDF

Change

Must

Happen

We are calling on the Government to:

Provide an immediate and fair pay rise to all frontline social care workers
Urgently deliver a system of fair and objective pay benchmarks and bandings for all social care roles
Create a wider workforce strategy to make social care a viable, respected, and sustainable career in the longer-term

4 ways you can support

1. Email your MP

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I am writing to you to draw your attention to the injustice of low pay in the social care sector as detailed in Community Integrated Care’s Unfair To Care 2022 - 23 Report, and to ask you to represent my view that this deepening crisis needs to be resolved immediately.
 
Social care is among the UK’s lowest paid occupations, despite being an important and skilled job which is crucial for society and an efficient and high-functioning NHS. Yet, support workers would earn an incredible 41%, or £8036 a year more, if they did the same job as a band 3 healthcare assistant within the NHS.
 
I believe that if someone is doing the same work, they should rightfully receive the same pay.
 
With a reduction in pay gap between social care and the NHS averaging just 1.5% per year since the last general election it will be at least 23 years – a whole generation - until Support Workers are paid on a par with their equivalents in the NHS. 
 
Low pay is a key factor in the crisis in social care which has seen vacancies rise drastically (112,000 last year to 165,000 this year – a rise of 52%). The devastating impact of the cost-of-living crisis has meant that the core of vocational support workers are being forced to leave a job they love because they can no longer make ends meet. 
 
The lack of fair pay creates tragic consequences. People who draw on social care are impacted by a lack of support or the breakdown of important relationships, affecting their quality of life. For those unwavering support workers who remain loyal, their dedication often comes at a high price. Without the security of savings, they exist on a financial precipice where unexpected expenses can spell disaster.
 
Ultimately, this crisis contributes to a serious shortage of the social care provision in our communities which many hospitals depend on, resulting in further pressures on the NHS and other public sectors.
 
This report proves that my concerns are mirrored by the rest of the general public. An Ipsos survey commissioned by Community Integrated Care earlier this year, revealed the true perception of the value of social care, with 91% of those surveyed considering social care to be important to society, 90% acknowledging that support work is skilled or semi-skilled and 85% saying that the shortage of social care workers is a problem for society. As one of your constituents, I wholeheartedly agree with these statements.
 
I am asking you as my MP to please read the report at www.UnfairToCare.co.uk and stand together with social care workers. The Government need to play fair & pay fair. Frontline social care workers can’t wait 23 years to be paid the same as their NHS peers.
 
The pandemic proved that support workers and their NHS peers are respected equally, now let’s ensure they are paid equally. What action are you going to take?

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2. Share campaign assets on Social Media

We’ve created some graphics and a suggested post 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.

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3. Tweet your MP

Visit the link below to find your UK Member of Parliament using your postcode and send them a tweet to start a conversation.

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4. Download our media pack

For all media enquiries relating to the campaign please email unfairtocare@c-i-c.co.uk or call 07816 209623 / 07946 471037

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.