"Better quality social care and fairer treatment of care workers are priorities for the people of Greater Manchester"

Trafford Council’s Executive will meet tonight (Monday) to consider a review of the ‘price for social care’, and there are concerns that the Council is going to fail to meet the growing public demand for better treatment of social care workers.    

Last week, neighbouring Manchester City Council announced that it would increase its hourly rate for home care providers from £13.50 to £15.20 per hour on the condition that the providers they commission pass on the extra money to care workers and pay them at least the real living wage rate of £8.75 per hour. 

In contrast, Trafford Council’s Executive is expected to agree to a smaller rise in hourly rate – from £14.06 to £14.63 – and to not make any requirement of its commissioned care providers to pay above the legal minimum. 

In May last year, Trafford Council leader Sean Anstee committed to work with Greater Manchester Citizens, UNISON, and the Care Workers for Change Campaign to implement the real living wage for social care workers. 

Kevin Lucas, Regional Manager for UNISON North West said:

“UNISON has been campaigning for dignity in social care and we have been overwhelmed by the public support for fair funding, decent jobs and quality services. 

“Manchester City Council has responded to the public mood by taking action against poverty pay for care workers.  They are allocating more money to care providers  – with strings attached – to make sure staff are paid the real living wage. 

“Trafford Council should take similar steps to  ensure that care workers get the real living wage.  It would not be fair on home care workers in Trafford to be paid nearly £1 an hour less than workers doing the same job across the border in Manchester.”

Furqan Naeem from the community organising group Greater Manchester Citizens said:

“Better quality social care and fairer treatment of care workers are priorities for the people of Greater Manchester. 

“Sean Anstee made a commitment at the Citizens Founding Assembly that he supports the real living wage for care workers.  Manchester Council has shown that this can be achieved so we would like to see Sean take the opportunity now to make this happen in Trafford as well.”