The Welsh Conservatives have labelled the Labour Government’s wage increase for carers as “insufficient” and a misbranding of the “real living wage”.
Shadow Social Services Minister Gareth Davies MS told Labour’s Deputy Minister yesterday that the minimum wage of £9.90 per hour for carers fell short of the Welsh Conservative manifesto commitment of £10 – a gap that leaves them missing out on £200 per annum.
He also said the Government’s decision to call it a “real living wage” was misleading as it did not go far enough to address the rising cost of living – with global prices on the increase as a consequence of the pandemic – and a one-off bonus was not a sustainable way to pay hard-working carers.
The Labour Government could have spent only £9m more to match care worker wages to NHS pay-scales, but rejected the chance in favour of the cheapest option.
In a statement yesterday, the Deputy Minister for Social Services re-affirmed the Labour Government’s decision to keep the £9.90 rate, and announced a one-off £1,000 ‘bonus’.
Davies, Welsh Conservative MS for the Vale of Clwyd, said was would not address the recruitment and retention issues endemic in the social care workforce as it fails to help workers make long-term financial decisions and is still less than what retail staff can make.
He added: “Social care needs to be a rewarding career, but the rewards cannot just be spiritual, they also have to be material. One-off payments, as welcome as they are, are not enough. Paying less than the retail sector is not enough.”
He raised the success of Conservative-run Monmouthshire Council, who already pay their care staff £10.85 per hour.
The Labour Government later rejected a suggestion by Conservative MS Darren Millar to ensure the £1,000 bonus for care workers reaches care home kitchen staff, cleaners, and caretakers.
Commenting, Welsh Conservative and Shadow Social Services Minister Gareth Davies MS said:
“As I said when originally announced, while a pay increase for carers is much welcomed, it does still fall short of our call for a £10 minimum wage for them, meaning they are missing out on £200 a year.
“This is not a trivial amount that carers could use for food, bills, or much needed respite. When added with the rising cost of living resulting from an uptick in global prices as a consequence of the pandemic, Labour’s triumphalist tone just does not match with reality.
“One-off bonuses are not sustainable – you cannot get a mortgage based on a one-off payment –when a long-term approach is needed to address the enormous gaps in the existing workforce.
“I would much prefer Labour ministers to address this recruitment and retention crisis rather than through misbranding insufficient, small wage increases.”
