Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask His Majesty's Government whether differentials in salary bands will be maintained between care staff and senior care staff within the Cost of Care model.

The Market Sustainability and Fair Cost of Care Fund required local authorities to work collaboratively with adult social care providers to conduct evidence-based Cost of Care exercises, to support them in building a shared understanding of the local costs for delivering care, including for categories such as staff pay. However, the pay and terms and conditions for care workers are set independent of central government. When commissioning services from providers, their Care Act 2014 duties require local authorities to assure themselves that their fees enable appropriate staff renumeration, so as to retain an effective workforce.