Pay a real Living Wage for care workers facing poverty in England

We all have a connection to care work. Even if you can't immediately think of someone who draws on support or who is a paid care worker, every time you leave your house you are likely to be passed by care workers like me driving from visit to visit. I guarantee you have neighbours who are visited by carers and that there are care homes in your community.

To ensure support is available when we need it, it is essential that we are at the very least paid enough to cover the essential costs of living.

Currently, vast numbers of care workers are illegally paid below the National Minimum Wage as a result of unpaid travel time. Meanwhile, our income is often insecure, with zero-hours contracts the norm. This makes it practically impossible to plan and prompts many to accept any and all of the hours they are offered, causing burnout and poor quality of care. These terms of employment add untold pressure to a role which already carries a significant level of responsibility. Is it any wonder social care faces an acute recruitment and retention crisis?

Paying at least a real Living Wage for care workers which takes into account time spent travelling between visits is an essential place to start in addressing the joint crises of care quality and availability in England. It has already been done in Scotland and Wales, now - a full four years on from the nation's clap for carers - it's time to do the same in England.

This country depends on care workers, and the quality and availability of support depends on the UK Government taking action. Every care worker's dignity should be protected through payment of at least the real Living Wage.