Oral Answers to Questions

Debate between Gillian Keegan and Virendra Sharma

Tuesday 19th April 2022 Commons Chamber

[Mr Virendra Sharma (Ealing, Southall) (Lab)]

Those providing social care often work long hours and are a real lifeline for the most vulnerable. Will the Minister act to ensure that those in social care are paid properly with a real living wage, as Citizens UK is campaigning for?

[Gillian Keegan]

Actually, according to Skills for Care data from 2020-21, the majority of care workers were paid above the national living wage in that year. Most care workers are employed by private sector providers who set their terms and conditions. However, we have committed £1.36 billion to the market sustainability and fair cost fund, which will support local authorities to move towards paying providers a fair cost of care. We hope that will lead to better sustainability and better staff.