Response to the Lib Dems Free Personal Care pledge

Today the Liberal Democrats have pledged to offer free personal care to older or disabled people at home, tackle the worker shortage in care by introducing a carer’s minimum wage, at a rate £2 above the standard minimum wage, and create a Royal College of Care Workers comparable to the Royal Colleges of Nursing and Midwives.

Responding to this pledge, Dr Mary-Ann Stephenson, director at the Women’s Budget Group, said,

“This is a good first step in addressing the crisis in social care. Free personal care would ease some of the pressure faced by millions of unpaid carers, the vast majority of whom are women. Unpaid carers have been propping up a broken system that has left millions of people with unmet care needs, often at the expense of their own health and financial security.”

“In 2022/23 there were 152,000 unfilled vacancies in social care. Along with the increasing need for carers as our population is aging, there is a worrying rise in the number of people who are economically inactive due to both long-term sickness and caring responsibilities. We therefore need bold action from the next  government to address the retention and recruitment challenges which impact social care workers and unpaid carers. Introducing a carer’s minimum wage as proposed by the Liberal Democrats today is a welcome first step.”

“With women not only making up the majority of those providing unpaid care but also of those working in formal care roles, establishing a Royal College of Care Workers would signal the profession’s value and respect it deserves.”

“The undervaluing of women’s unpaid and low paid care is at the heart of women’s economic inequality, setting up a lifetime of lower pay, lower earnings, lower savings and less wealth than men. The persistent political neglect of care has hindered progress toward women’s economic equality with men. An investment in care funded through taxation would be a vital transfer from wallet to purse.”

“Any party that is serious about improving the economy or tackling gender inequality must invest in a high-quality universal, free social care service that actually meets people’s needs and supports our wellbeing, with a well-trained, well-paid workforce, and financial costs shared progressively across society.”

Press contact

press@wbg.org.uk / 007553663144