SOCIAL care pay is “unlawfully” low for many workers with the staffing crisis having a negative impact on workload and safety, a damning study into the sector found today.

A study of social care workers by the Resolution Foundation revealed that the median hourly pay was £10.90 in April 2022 – well below the economy-wide average of £14.47 and less than rates offered in other low-paid jobs in the public sector.

Domiciliary workers, who care for patients in their homes, face a high risk of being paid less than the minimum wage once their travel time is considered, the foundation found.