Government must invest in social care to drive the economy, says report      

A properly funded social care system would power growth, unlock jobs, boost business and save the NHS money, says a Future Social Care Coalition (FSCC) report published today (Monday). The report, entitled Carenomics, lays bare how the fragmented and underfunded care sector, which currently has 152,000 job vacancies, is ‘stifling’ the economy and having a negative effect on the labour market. The analysis warns that the government’s levelling up agenda and other measures to transform the UK cannot be achieved without substantial new investment in social care. Carenomics uses extensive evidence to outline the economic case for putting more money into the care sector, which generated £51.5bn for the economy in England in 2021-22*. The report says care staff are crucial to the UK labour force and economy. It calls for urgent intervention from ministers to attract and retain workers to an ‘overlooked’ sector that is bigger than electricity, water, and waste management. At least four in five UK jobs pay more than those in social care. Official figures show that care staff with more than five years’ experience earn just 7p per hour more than colleagues who’ve been in the job for less than a year. If investment in social care were boosted and more care workers recruited on better wages, it’s likely more people aged 50-64, currently unable to work because of caring responsibilities, could return to the labour market, says the report. An increas...
Source: UNISON Health and safety news - Category: Occupational Health Authors: Tags: News Press release Christina McAnea social care Source Type: news