Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, if he will provide a bonus to care workers in recognition of their work throughout the covid-19 outbreak.

The social care workforce more than ever demonstrates unwavering compassion and dedication. We are proud of them and immensely grateful to them. We want to celebrate their work and give them the acknowledgement and appreciation that they deserve.

The vast majority of care workers are employed by private sector providers who ultimately set their pay?and remuneration, independent of central government. We are exploring ways to further develop recognition of the social care sector, to empower staff?and?reinforce appreciation across the sector. However, we are not currently planning to pay social care staff a bonus as a part of this.