Care workers to be represented in fair pay agreements

Official release

Millions of care workers in England will be represented in upcoming negotiations on pay and working conditions through a new body established to deliver the first ever fair pay agreement for adult social care.

The new Adult Social Care Negotiating Body will be set up by the end of the year, bringing together trade unions and employers to negotiate on behalf of the sector.

Through the body, care providers and workers will have voting rights on important issues including pay, terms and conditions, and wider employment matters through a regular negotiation process.

The body will also have an independent chair to oversee the negotiations between employer and worker representatives, who will be appointed in early 2027.

The first ever adult social care fair pay agreement is a landmark reform that will turn the page on decades of low pay and insecurity for the 1.5 million people working in the sector.

It is backed by £500 million for the first agreement in 2028 to 2029, boosting domestic recruitment and retention of carers while growing the economy, raising living standards and creating opportunities for all.

Minister of State for Care Stephen Kinnock said:

Oonagh Smyth, CEO of Skills for Care, said:

The first round of negotiations will commence in April 2027, and the first settlement will be introduced by April 2028.

Alongside the fair pay agreement, the government continues to build on the first ever universal career structure in adult social care and professionalise the workforce, by introducing part 3 of the care workforce pathway, including 10 new role categories such as care technologists and activity co-ordinators.

The pathway sets out clear roles, responsibilities and development opportunities, showing people how they can move into more specialist or leadership positions. It also now includes all adult social care roles - even those that are not health or social work, such as catering or maintenance positions.

The changes are part of the government’s mission to create a national care service and follows over £4.6 billion of additional funding that has been made available for adult social care in 2028 to 2029.

The government has increased the Carer’s Allowance by £2,750 for unpaid carers, the largest increase since the 1970s, and this week launched the first ever unpaid carers action plan, setting out commitments to recognise carers earlier, refer them to the right services and help them reach their potential in education or employment while caring.

To support tens of thousands of people with disabilities, the government has provided £723 million to adapt their homes to their needs, at the same time as increasing the minimum income guarantee so 150,000 people with disabilities get £400 back in their pockets to help with the cost of living.

Baroness Casey has made early recommendations that the government is progressing swiftly, including:

The commission’s phase 1 recommendations for delivering a national care service will be published later this year, setting out the next steps for a system that is sustainable, joined-up and works better for those who rely on it.

Paul Nowak, General Secretary of TUC, said:

Gavin Edwards, Head of Social Care at UNISON, said:

Natalie Grayson, GMB Union’s National Officer, said:

Melanie Weatherley MBE, Co-Chair of the Care Association Alliance, said:

Nadra Ahmed CBE, Executive Co-Chairman of the National Care Association, said:

Lynne Bowers, adult social care workforce representative and member of the government’s Expert Consultation Group on the Care Workforce Pathway, said:

See the government’s response to the consultation on the fair pay agreement process in adult social care. There is also an easy read version of the consultation.

UK Department for Business and Trade · Open Government Licence v3.0. © Crown copyright. Text excerpted and formatting simplified; media and third-party quotations excluded. No endorsement implied.

Source: UK Department for Business and Trade ↗ · Updated 16 Jul 2026, 1:45 pm IST