The Care Workers’ Charity (CWC) welcomes today’s publication of the Skills for Care Pay in the Adult Social Care Sector in England report, which provides a vital snapshot of pay levels across the independent sector as of December 2025. While the data reveals some encouraging movement, with median care worker pay rising to £12.60 per hour, it also lays bare the persistent and systemic failure to value care work appropriately.
For The Care Workers’ Charity, which provides support and advocacy for care workers, these figures are not abstract data points. They represent the daily reality of people who are stretched to their limits – and still, too often, unable to make ends meet.
Experience is not valued
Perhaps the most troubling finding in today’s report is the evidence of the collapse of pay progression. Care workers with five or more years of experience now earn just 10 pence per hour more than those brand new to the sector. In March 2016, that gap stood at 33 pence. The message this sends to the workforce is stark: loyalty and expertise are not rewarded.
A quarter of care workers remain trapped on low wages
The report confirms that 26% of care workers are now paid within 10 pence of the National Living Wage, up from 22% in March 2025. Nearly half (48%) of all independent sector workers are paid below the new NLW rate of £12.71 that comes into force in April 2026, meaning 640,000 filled posts will be directly affected by the forthcoming increase.
Nearly half of care workers earn below the Real Living Wage
Despite nominal pay increases, 49% of care workers were paid below the Real Living Wage (£12.60 outside London; £13.85 in London) in December 2025. This is a higher proportion than in March 2025 (46%). This is because the Real Living Wage, which is independently calculated to reflect the true cost of living, has itself risen, leaving many care workers further behind rather than catching up.
Karolina Gerlich, Chief Executive Officer of The Care Workers’ Charity, said:
“Today’s report confirms what we already know from the people who contact The Care Workers’ Charity in crisis: care workers remain chronically undervalued and underpaid, despite the complexity and emotional weight of the work they do every single day. A 10 pence pay premium for five years of experience is not a reward, it is unacceptable. And with nearly half the workforce still earning below the Real Living Wage, we cannot pretend the sector is on track. The Fair Pay Agreement represents a genuine opportunity for change, but only if it results in a system that rewards experience, supports career progression, and is backed by sustainable, long-term funding. Care workers deserve more than survival. They deserve respect, security, and a future in this profession.”
The Care Workers’ Charity is calling for:
- A Fair Pay Agreement that establishes meaningful pay progression, not a system that simply lifts the floor while flattening everything above it.
- Sustainable funding for adult social care that enables providers to reward experience, fund qualifications, and offer enhanced terms and conditions, including sick pay and pension contributions.
- Recognition of care work as a skilled profession, with care workers’ voices embedded at the heart of policy and commissioning decisions.
- Urgent action to address the well-being and financial resilience of the existing workforce, including greater access to mental health support and financial guidance.
For further information, please contact Sophie Henry at The Care Workers’ Charity at sophie@thecwc.org.uk.