Norman Lamb attends tea party in honour of care providers committed to paying a living wage

Care and support minister Norman Lamb will attend a tea party organised by Citizens UK in London’s Parliament Square this morning to celebrate those care providers who have committed to paying their staff a living wage.

Care providers and commissioners will also be encouraged at the event to sign up to Citizens UK’s charter of good practice, which calls for better and an end to 15-minute visits in the care sector.

Fourteen care providers, including Abbeyfield, Bluebird Care Tameside, Mint Quality Care, Cumbria and Penrose Care, London, have now committed to paying their staff the living wage, which is currently £8.80 per hour in London and £7.65 per hour across the rest of the UK.

Jane D’Angelo, Citizens UK member and a care recipient, said: “Care workers do a hard job with grace and dignity, yet they are paid a shockingly low rate of pay, have zero hour contracts and aren’t paid for the travel time between appointments.

“I believe that, to improve social care, we need to create a system that recognises and values the worker to achieve a better deal for the recipient. The Citizens UK charter of good practice is building a movement of care providers and commissioners who also believe that is what’s required.”

Meanwhile, former care services minister Paul Burstow has announced the creation of a new commission to investigate workforce development in the home care sector, which he will chair.

The commission has opened a call for evidence from local authorities, government departments, professional bodies and unions, care providers, service users and any individual with a stake in improving home care services.

The commission, which is supported by the Local Government Information Unit and Mears Group, will hold a series of hearings over the summer and produce recommendations for ensuring a high quality home care workforce this autumn.