Pension worries among social care staff

Social care staff in the independent sector could miss out on pension contributions if an employers’ campaign to revise government proposals succeeds, union leaders have warned.

The TUC said big employers were lobbying for compulsory employer contributions to the proposed national pensions savings scheme to only apply to employees who have been in their jobs for a year.

TUC figures show that more than 15 per cent of people working in health and social work had been in their jobs for less than 12 months, while almost 38 per cent did not have a pension. The savings scheme was included in May’s pensions white paper, and would oblige employers to pay 3 per cent of salary into the scheme for staff who do not opt out.

 • Pensions white paper