Greater Manchester Mayor Andy Burnham and North East Mayor Kim McGuinness have signed an open letter to the Health Secretary urging the government to ensure that care workers are paid in line with the independently calculated Living Wage. The voluntary benchmark currently stands at £13.45 per hour nationally and £14.80 in London.
While care workers in Scotland and Wales already receive this rate, many in England do not. The Health Secretary recently announced a £500 million funding package to increase pay from 2028, but regional leaders warned that delaying improvements could worsen staff shortages and retention problems.
400,000 Care Workers Below Living Wage
Research from a leading policy think tank found that around 400,000 care workers in England representing 43% of the workforce earn below the voluntary living wage.
The open letter, coordinated by Citizens UK and the Living Wage Foundation, highlights that better pay would help address recruitment challenges, improve staff retention, and relieve pressure on health services.
“Raising wages for over 400,000 care workers would strengthen workforce stability and alleviate strain on health services,” the letter stated.
Although new employment legislation will introduce negotiated pay mechanisms, these may not take effect until 2028. The signatories argue that immediate action is needed, noting that implementing the voluntary living wage would cost £330 million—less than 2% of annual social care spending.
The letter also calls for pay to include all working hours, such as overnight duties and travel between appointments.
