A Fair Pay Agreement for care workers is welcome, and now it needs the funding and pace to change lives
The Care Workers’ Charity welcomes the first adult social care Fair Pay Agreement and the hope it brings, and urges government to match it with enough funding and a faster timeline so care workers feel the difference sooner.
London, 16th July 2026 — The government has confirmed that care workers in England will be represented in the first ever adult social care Fair Pay Agreement, through a new Adult Social Care Negotiating Body bringing together trade unions and employers. The Care Workers’ Charity welcomes this, and hopes it marks the beginning of real and lasting improvement in care workers’ lives.
After decades of low pay and insecurity, a national mechanism to negotiate on pay, terms and conditions is a real step forward. An independent chair, a regular negotiating cycle and a legal footing give the sector something it has never had before, and give care workers a reason to feel hopeful.
For that hope to be realised, the funding has to match the ambition. The £500 million earmarked for the first agreement in 2028/29 is welcome, but set against a workforce of around 1.5 million, and the depth of hardship care workers describe, it will only stretch so far. Our 2025 Wellbeing Survey, which heard from over 2,000 care workers, found 72% did not feel financially secure, 57.41% pointed to low hourly pay, and almost one in four had used a food bank. The government has said its approach will be cautious and phased, with the body negotiating within a fixed funding envelope. If this first agreement is to make an impact on low pay, it will need to be more than a modest first step.
The timetable is also longer than care workers can wait. The first negotiations are not due to begin until April 2027, with the first settlement taking effect in April 2028. Care workers are under real pressure now: 37% told us they often think about leaving, and 26% plan to leave as soon as they can, with pay the leading reason. Every year before that first settlement is another year in which the sector risks losing people it cannot afford to lose. We would also welcome care workers’ own experience helping to shape the agreement, so it reflects what they truly need.
Karolina Gerlich, Chief Executive of The Care Workers’ Charity, said:
“This is good news, and we welcome it. Care workers have waited a long time for this kind of recognition, and a Fair Pay Agreement gives real hope that pay and conditions will start to improve. Our ask is simple: back it with funding that matches the scale of need, and move faster, because care workers are under pressure now and should not have to wait years to feel the difference. We would welcome the chance to work with government, unions and employers to make this an agreement that makes a real difference to care workers’ lives.”
What needs to change
The Care Workers’ Charity is calling for:
- Funding that matches the scale of need, so the first agreement makes a real difference to pay and conditions
- A faster timeline, so care workers feel the benefit sooner rather than waiting until 2028.
- Care workers’ own experience, including CWC’s Wellbeing Survey and Care Worker Advisory Board insight, to help shape the agreement.
NOTES TO EDITORS
Interviews available:
- Karolina Gerlich, Chief Executive of The Care Workers’ Charity, available for TV, radio and print interviews. Karolina is a former care worker, regularly briefs MPs and government on social care workforce policy, and has been quoted in national media including BBC News, the Guardian and the Times.
- Care workers with lived experience. CWC can connect journalists with care workers willing to speak on the record about pay, working conditions, and reliance on the charity’s hardship grants. Case studies available on request.
About The Care Workers’ Charity (CWC)
The Care Workers’ Charity is the only UK charity dedicated to supporting paid care workers across the social care sector. We have provided over £6.8 million in crisis grants to over 13,800 care workers since 2020. We offer mental well-being support to care workers, ensuring they receive assistance during challenging times. The CWC provides accredited Mental Health First Aid training to care workers and other staff and advocates for policy changes to improve lives and working conditions in the UK. We participate in government roundtables, academic forums, and policy discussions, sharing insights from our grant applicants’ experiences. To learn more about our mission and initiatives, visit www.thecareworkerscharity.org.uk.
Registered charity no. 1207208. Registered office: Rushworth Studios, 63 Webber Street, London SE1 0QW.