Last year, care workers lost PS3.7k of their pay.

New data shows that hundreds of thousands of care workers received a pay cut of up to 3,698 PS last year.

GMB analysis revealed that 300,000 caregivers were left out of pocket because their wages dropped below inflation.

According to ONS figures, the average annual salary of a carer was PS12 879 in April 2010. However, half of these workers earned less than this amount.

This was a real-terms pay cut of PS3,698 since the salary in 2010 was worth PS21.549 by April 2023 but only rose to PS17.851.

GMB believes that this loss of earnings has affected more than 300 000 employees recognized in the ONS Labour Force Survey.

Natalie Grayson, GMB’s national officer, stated: “It is hard to imagine a role more important in the society than caring for others. They care for our loved ones at their most vulnerable, allowing us to contribute to the economy and society. As the UK population grows older, their job will become more and more crucial.

“Yet, despite their vital role and the increasingly clinical nature that they perform, care workers still suffer from some of the lowest pay and terms and conditions across the country. It is a scandal that since the Tories came to power, their pay has actually been cut. This means a decade of lost wages for those at the bottom.

She said that while Labour’s pledge to implement a Fair Pay Agreement for care workers is “a huge step in the right directions”, GMB’s analyses indicate that the government must urgently take action in order to achieve this.

GMB’s survey from last year revealed that 90% of caregivers cannot afford to take sick leaves. The union wants care workers to be paid at least 15 PS an hour.

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