Low-pay campaigners today demand a £1.4billion wage boost for carers battling coronavirus.
As millions of families prepare for tonight’s weekly Clap for Carers, Citizens UK launches its latest drive to give them a salary hike.
Many carers are paid only the legal minimum – which the Government calls its National Living Wage – of £8.72 an hour, falling to £8.20 for those aged between 21 and 24, and just £6.45 for those aged 18 to 20.
In contrast, the Real Living Wage is £9.30 for all age groups, rising to £10.75 in London where costs are higher.
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Citizens UK believes £1.4billion is needed to hike the pay of 500,000 carers to the Real Living Wage rate.
Executive director Matthew Bolton said: “Today we are focusing on the social care sector given the huge rates of infection in the country’s care homes.
“These incredible people go out every morning to look after our loved ones, risking their lives to do so, often on the minimum wage.
“It’s important we take the next few weeks to celebrate our key workers, but also to remember that a Real Living Wage should be the least they deserve.”
Backing the drive, Archbishop of York John Sentamu said: “It is just morally wrong to put our care workers on the front line in the face of infection and potential death, with limited personal protective equipment, and to do that for poverty pay.
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“For me this is simply unacceptable. I hope that if this epidemic teaches us anything, it will be to draw us back to justice, compassion and love.”
Living Wage Foundation director Katherine Chapman said: “If this crisis has made one thing clear it’s how much we rely on key workers to support our society.
“However, with almost 40% of all of our key workers earning less than the Real Living Wage, and 280,000 social care workers in underpaid and insecure work, there is an urgent need to rethink how we value and reward those working in these critical roles.
“Providing social care workers with a Real Living Wage is an excellent first step to building back better from this crisis.”
The Mirror’s Fair Care For All campaign calls for proper investment in the sector.
Shadow Chancellor Anneliese Dodds said: “It can’t be right that we clap for our frontline workers on a Thursday night but deny them decent pay afterwards.
“Poverty pay in social care was unacceptable before and it’s even less acceptable following the huge sacrifice so many of our care workers are currently making.
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“We need the Government to get its priorities right and value our key workers with the respect they deserve – that means decent pay.”
A Government spokesman said: “We recognise the outstanding work being done by key workers up and down the UK in response to the current crisis.
“We have provided £3.2billion to local authorities to address Covid-19 pressures, including adult social care.
“Changes made on April 1 mean that millions of workers, including those with key worker status, are benefiting from increases to the National Living Wage and minimum wage rates for younger workers.
“We remain committed to helping hard working individuals earn more whilst levelling up this country.”
