Helen presents bill to fix social care recruitment and retention crisis

Helen Morgan MP has today presented a bill to Parliament that aims to tackle the crisis in social care by recruiting and retaining care workers, as well as paying them a fair wage.

The Government has long promised to fix social care but has failed to deliver, breaking its promises. In the last few years, the number of vacancies in care has risen to 165,000. The Health and Social Care Committee anticipates a further 490,000 carers will be needed by the early part of the next decade.

While the Care Quality Commission reported last year that over 87% of care providers were experiencing recruitment challenges.

Helen Morgan, MP for North Shropshire, today proposed a bill that would require the Secretary of State to publish and implement a Care Workers Employment Strategy. This would identify where and why shortages exist and the areas of greatest need, and how to resolve those shortages. It would also identify the causes of poor retention and slow recruitment and tackle the importance of pay.

Helen Morgan, Liberal Democrat MP for North Shropshire, said, “The Conservatives promised to fix social care once and for all, instead they’ve broken promise after promise. Older and vulnerable people are struggling to get the care they need to live a dignified and independent life, and paying the price for this Conservative Government’s inaction.

“Fixing our broken social care system should be at the top of this Conservative Government’s agenda. It’s clear they cannot be trusted to provide everyone with the high-quality social care they need. It’s time for change.

“That’s why I have put forward a bill to force the Government to improve conditions for carers, provide training, and recognise the vital work carers do. For too long carers have been neglected and taken for granted. 

“Everyone should be able to live independently and in dignity, and all care workers should receive the recognition and pay they deserve.”

The Bill would also establish the implementation of an independent National Care Workers Council, free from political interference. This would establish minimum professional standards of care throughout the country and a system for the professional qualification and accreditation for care workers.

The Bill would also force the Secretary of State to commission an independent assessment of the support available to unpaid carers, including financial support and employment rights.

This bill would build on the Liberal Democrats plans to reform social care. The party is proposing an urgent strategy to fix the crisis in social care issues and which would help relieve the pressure on our struggling NHS services.

They would start by introducing a Carer’s Minimum Wage set at £2 above the current minimum, to retain and recruit carers, and pay them a wage for their skilled work. The Liberal Democrats are also pledging to introduce free personal care to ensure that no one has to sell their home to pay for care. 

What is the Liberal Democrat plan for social care?

We want everyone to get the high-quality social care they need, when they need it.

We consulted widely and talked with experts and industry leaders, as well as care staff themselves to develop our plan.

At its heart the plan would:

• Ensure no one has to sell their home to pay for care by introducing free personal care based on the model introduced by the Scottish Liberal Democrat-Labour government in 2002.
• Introduce a more generous means test and assistance for those unable to pay for their accommodation costs.
• Move towards a preventative approach to social care, so people can stay in their own homes for longer.
• Introduce a Carer’s Minimum Wage set at £2 above the current minimum, and invest in skills, professionalisation and accreditation of the workforce
• A package to support unpaid carers.

More information

• Over one in ten posts in the care sector are empty, with the vacancy rate having risen from 7% to 10.7% between 2021 and 2022.
• The Liberal Democrats have called for a £2 hike in the minimum wage for care workers, paid for by a tax on online gambling companies.
• Vacancy rate numbers: The state of the adult social care sector and workforce in England (skillsforcare.org.uk)
• Health and Social Care Committee Report: Workforce: recruitment, training and retention in health and social care (parliament.uk)
• Care Quality Commission: State of Care 2021/22 Report: State of Care 2021/22 - Care Quality Commission (cqc.org.uk)