News

Voluntary sector care assistants are earning significantly more than their private sector counterparts at all levels of qualification.

A report by labour research body Incomes Data Services on pay and conditions in social care finds that median hourly rates are more than 10 per cent higher for care staff in the voluntary sector.

But the study of 69 providers employing more than 20,000 staff finds that pay is increasing faster in the private sector, with average settlements of 4.3 per cent last year compared with 3 per cent in the voluntary sector.

Incomes Data Services puts this down to the greater impact of rises in the minimum wage on private providers.