CARE workers are worse off than they were two years ago during the pandemic and should be given parity with equivalent NHS roles, a new report warned today.

The study by ReWage and the University of Warwick’s Institute for Employment Research found that pay for care workers has declined relative to other low-paid occupations over the last 15 years.

It found that the median carer’s pay has risen by less than £4 an hour in the last 15 years.

Increases in the National Minimum Wage and the National Living Wage eroded the difference in pay between care workers and senior care workers, reducing incentives for staff to seek promotion or stay in the sector, the study found.

The paper recommends increased pay and better working conditions for care sector staff, arguing for at least the Real Living Wage where it has not already been achieved and pay parity with equivalent NHS roles in the longer term to ensure staff are valued and incentivised to stay in the care sector.

It also calls on the government to improve statutory sick pay arrangements for care workers, which is currently not enough for a decent standard of living.

The report noted that unpaid carers must also receive further support, according to the new paper.

ReWage co-chairman Professor Chris Warhurst said: “This new report paper hopes to feed into the debate surrounding Labour’s recently announced Fair Pay Agreement for the social care sector.”