Care staff do better in voluntary sector

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 13 per
cent higher in the voluntary sector for unqualified assistants and
those with NVQ level 3, and 10 per cent higher at NVQ level
2.

But the study of 69 providers employing more than 20,000 staff
finds that, overall, 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, though only 18 of the 69
firms said they had been affected by last October’s increase from
£4.50 to £4.85 an hour.