UNISON care workers will today urge the public to back a campaign for a national care service for Wales.

They will bring their campaign to a Wales TUC annual conference fringe event focused on social care and securing agreement from the country’s union federation for their public campaign to remove all profit from social care.

Rhondda-based care worker Nicola Irwin, who will speak at the gathering in Llandudno, north Wales, said: “Care staff love helping people, but the wages are scandalously low.

“Anyone in work should be paid enough to ensure they can get by. This currently isn’t the case in social care. 

“Most jobs are paid at minimum wage rates, despite the work being highly skilled.

“As a result, many care workers have to rely on benefits to top up their income.”

She said a national care service for Wales is “the very least care workers deserve for looking after the nation’s loved ones.”