Care Worker Pay Petition Action Week Launches September 6-10
The #BetterPay4SocialCare Action Week will be taking place from Monday 6th to Friday 10th September. To help raise awareness of care worker pay, 28 social care organisations across the country are be urging people to sign the petition.
They are calling on Government to ensure all social care workers receive a minimum of the Real Living Wage of £9.50 (£10.85 in London). Most do not receive this because local authorities are unable to provide adequate funding to social care providers.
From Monday 6th to Friday 10th September, the #BetterPay4SocialCare coalition, which comprises of 28 social care organisations across the country will be urging people to sign the petition https://you.38degrees.org.uk/petitions/betterpay4socialcare, which will be delivered on September 21st on the steps of HM Treasury.
The Action Week will include videos and images from a range of people, including people receiving support, their families and support workers, explaining why social care workers deserve financial recognition. The petition will be shared by MP and Labour Deputy Leader Angela Rayner, a former care worker herself.
On Tuesday 8th September, Liz Kendall MP, Shadow Minister for Health & Social Care will add her support at a special panel on social care pay, organised by The Care Workers Charity and #BetterPay4SocialCare. https://hopin.com/events/better-pay-4-social-care
Beth, a social care worker – who will be delivering the petition – speaks of her responsibilities and struggles as a care worker:
“I’ve worked in social care for a long time and I love my job. Each day is different and I still find new situations that I’ve not experienced before, where I’ve had to think on my feet and adapt, in order to give the person I’m supporting their best quality of life. I believe this has made me an expert in what I do.
When the first lockdown came along, I had to make a decision about how I would care for and protect my children. I am a single parent and my eldest has autism and a few other conditions which leave him with a weaker immune system. Not working wasn’t a financial option. Also, I would lose relationships with the people I support and would have felt I was letting my team down. In the end, for me to be able to continue to work and protect my children, I made the difficult decision to move my kids in with my parents.
I’m highly trained and have a lot of experience behind me. The job I do is intricate, but I don’t get paid enough for the responsibilities I undertake. It’s kind of soul destroying. This is my chosen career because I want to help others, but the wage is not enough and I struggle financially. It’s not fair.”
