Local MP Barbara Keeley is raising concerns about the way the government’s so-called ‘living wage’ is being handled for care workers.
The MP for Worsley and Eccles South says the care sector is “in crisis”, with providers warning they won’t be able to afford to offer care without government help.
Care workers who have been earning the minimum wage should now be paid £7.20 an hour.
This is the rate which the Government calls the new National Living Wage, which came into force this month.
But the introduction of the new minimum hourly rate means that many care sector providers have seen their costs rise.
It appears that some care workers are losing out on vital pay and conditions as a result of the way that care providers are responding to the increased pay costs.
Shocking anecdotal evidence coming to the MP suggests some providers are changing contracts so that care workers themselves have to meet the costs incurred from being paid the minimum wage.
Barbara is planning to raise concerns and call on the government to take action in a Monday 18 April Parliamentary debate about the way some care providers in the North West and other areas are managing the increase.
Ms Keeley said: “The care sector is in crisis nationally.
“Many care providers have been warning that the Conservative Government’s failure to provide any additional funding for the National Living Wage could result in providers becoming financially unviable.
“I was shocked to hear that some providers are now altering their employment contracts and conditions so that the additional costs from paying the national minimum wage are actually being met by the care workers themselves.
“It is deeply concerning to hear that hardworking care workers, many of whom are already underpaid, are being cheated of pay increases by employers altering their employment conditions.
“I would like to hear if this issue is affecting care workers locally.
“If you are a paid care worker and you are losing out on your pay and conditions to cover any pay increase you would get from what the Government calls the “National Living Wage”, please get in touch by emailing me via my website at www.barbarakeeley.co.uk.
“Any information you send me will be treated in the strictest confidence.
“The National Living Wage was supposed to improve living standards.
“It is completely unacceptable if care workers are being treated in this way.”
