Wigan care workers set for double pay rise

National adult health and social care charity Making Space, which has its headquarters in Warrington, has announced it will pay all employees a minimum of £9.90 per hour from April.

The figure has been calculated as the voluntary "real living wage" recommended by the Living Wage Foundation. The increase will see full-time support workers earn an additional £1,700 each year.

Services the charity operates across the region include Wigan Supported Housing and Kingshill residential home in Standish. The home provides residential accommodation and 24-hour care for people with severe enduring mental illness and employs 20 people.

This is to be the second pay rise for the essential workers this year, with the charity having already started to pay the new UK statutory national living wage from January, three months ahead of schedule.

Making Space is investing just under half a million pounds across the UK to bring in the pay increases, which will benefit all frontline care and support workers. The investment is in line with Making Space’s commitment to attract, develop and support exceptional people to deliver passionate and skilled care.

Employees on pay points already equal to or exceeding £9.90 per hour will also see their annual income increase, with 85 per cent of all Making Space workers receiving a rise of between 3.9 and 9.2 per cent by April 2022. The current minimum hourly rate for adults ranges from £6.56 to £8.91, depending on age.

Phil Orton, executive director of HR, Making Space, said: “Our long-standing aspiration has been to pay our colleagues at a rate that makes them feel rewarded for the work that they do.

“Despite working through the most challenging times over the last two years, they continue to provide outstanding care and support to some of the most vulnerable people in society. They deserve to be paid at a level that takes account of the real cost of living which is why we want to pay a real living wage.

“These are professional, skilled people and need to be rewarded as so. Our sector faces unprecedented change and significant challenges. At a strategic level, it’s vital for Making Space to address low pay levels, recruitment challenges and high turnover.

“But while we will continue to do everything we can to attract and train the best people to deliver outstanding care and support, we also need the Government to do a lot more.

“We need reforms in the health and social care sector to bring people more in line with their NHS colleagues, who receive higher pay and better benefits. Short term solutions, whilst welcomed, do not address low pay and skills shortages.

Rachel Peacock, CEO, Making Space, said: “The efforts of everyone at Making Space continue to be nothing short of incredible, particularly for those teams on the front line where the experience of the pandemic has been relentless.

“We absolutely value the hard work, commitment and sacrifice of the amazing people who provide the best quality care and support to the people that use our services.

“Bringing forward the pay increase helps us to reward those incredible efforts and show the value that we place upon our frontline roles.”

Making Space employs over 1,000 people nationally. The charity’s residential and community services include residential homes and independent hospitals, supported living and social inclusion, employment and wellbeing support, and psychological therapies.

Thanks for reading. If you value what we do and are able to support us, a digital subscription is just £1 for your first month. Try us today by clicking here and viewing our offers.