THE SNP and Scottish Labour set out their policies to improve care for the elderly today ahead of the Scottish Parliament election.

After the SNP government recently proposed a pay rise of at least 4 per cent for NHS staff, Labour said that care workers should now be given a similar offer.

Setting out his stall before the May 6 vote, Scottish leader Anas Sarwar said that care workers are currently being offered a pay rise of 20p — a situation that he branded “shameful.”

With care workers reportedly earning a median wage of £9.50 per hour, Mr Sarwar said that Labour MSPs will fight for an immediate rise to £12 per hour and a commitment to a further increase to £15 per hour. 

Meanwhile SNP leader Nicola Sturgeon vowed to abolish charges for non-residential social care. She said that the move to make social care free would be part of a national care service, which the SNP aims to implement early in the next parliament.