WHAT'S NEW? THE CARE WORKERS’ CHARITY RESPONDS TO SKILLS FOR CARE REPORT
The Care Workers’ Charity (CWC) has responded to the latest State of the Adult Social Care Sector and Workforce in England report from Skills for Care, which provides crucial insights into the realities facing the 1.6 million people who make up England’s adult social care workforce.
While the report shows encouraging progress – including a fall in the vacancy rate to 7%, down from 10.2%
in 2021/22, and a 3.4% increase in filled posts to 1.6 million – it also reveals persistent and deep-rooted challenges. Over 60% of care providers still do not offer enhanced sick pay, 57% lack enhanced pension contributions, and the number of care workers with Level 2 qualifications has now fallen for the sixth consecutive year.
Pay differential data further exposes the depth of the crisis. According to the Living Wage Foundation, the UK Living Wage is £12.60 per hour, rising to £13.85 in London. However, the Skills for Care 2025 Report reveals that median hourly pay for care workers in the independent sector continues to fall short of these benchmarks across the country.
In London, the average hourly rate is £12.20 – £1.65 below the London Living Wage. In the East of England, it stands at £11.90, and in the West Midlands, £11.77. In several other regions, including the North East and Yorkshire & Humber, average pay within the independent sector remains low. These figures show that large parts of the workforce are still earning less than the government’s National Living Wage, which increased to £12.21 per hour in April 2025.
This means thousands of care workers across England are earning below the minimum legal threshold, and far below what is needed to meet the real cost of living. The erosion of pay progression within the sector is equally concerning. In March 2016, care workers with five or more years of experience earned, on average, 33p (4.4%) more per hour than those with less than a year of experience. Today, that gap has nearly disappeared, shrinking to just 7p (0.6%) per hour as of March 2025.
Meanwhile, a Living Wage Foundation analysis (June 2024) revealed that 43% of care workers in England earn below the real Living Wage, with this figure rising to 80% in London. These figures paint a stark picture of a workforce that continues to shoulder immense responsibility while receiving pay that fails to meet the cost of living, highlighting the urgent need for reform to ensure fair, sustainable, and dignified wages across the sector.
These findings reflect what The Care Workers’ Charity sees every day through its grant, wellbeing, and advocacy work: care workers continue to be underpaid, undervalued, and overstretched, despite their essential role in supporting people to live with dignity. The sector’s projected need for an additional 470,000 posts by 2040 highlights the urgency of long-term reform and investment.
Karolina Gerlich, CEO of The Care Workers’ Charity, said: “This report confirms what we already know; that social care stands on the dedication of its workforce, yet too many care workers still lack the pay, protections, and recognition they deserve.
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“Falling vacancies are a positive sign, but they mask deeper fragility. The workforce’s growth continues to rely on international recruitment, while domestic recruitment and retention remain under strain. Migrant care workers make an invaluable contribution and deserve fair treatment, clear routes to settlement, and protection from exploitation. We urgently need investment in training, fair pay, and wellbeing support to build a sustainable future for care.
“Every data point in this report represents a person; a care worker balancing compassion with exhaustion. They deserve more than survival; they deserve respect, security, and opportunity.”
The Care Workers’ Charity continues to advocate for workforce reform, including fair pay, mental health support, professional recognition, and a sustainable funding model that values care work as essential, responsible and skilled.
The Care Workers’ Charity is calling for urgent action to build a fairer and more sustainable future for the social care workforce. This includes reforming pay, terms, and conditions so that all care providers offer enhanced sick pay, pension contributions, and greater workplace stability. Investment must also be made in upskilling the workforce through renewed funding for qualifications and continuous professional development, ensuring high standards of care and clear pathways for career progression.
Crucially, care workers’ voices must be embedded at every stage of workforce strategy, regulation, and system design, recognising their experience as central to effective reform. Finally, government, commissioners, and local authorities must commit to long-term, sustainable funding models that prioritise workforce growth, wellbeing, and resilience.
www.thecareworkerscharity.org.uk www.tomorrowscare.co.uk
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