Pay of care staff in voluntary sector better

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.