This has profound implications for #socialcare. EU workers currently make up 1 in 11 careworkers and, from January 1st, they will not be replaced when they leave. So social care will have to find more British nationality workers. 1/6 bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politi…
1 in 13 jobs (122,000) in the sector is already vacant, far higher than the average in other industries (and rising). Unemployment is low so, without EU workers, #socialcare employers will have to entice these staff from sectors like retail. 2/6
But #socialcare pays less than many other sectors, including retail. kingsfund.org.uk/blog/2019/10/c… Raising pay will therefore be critical. 3/6
In the publicly funded part of the #socialcare sector (the majority of it) pay levels are linked to the rates councils pay providers for care. If these rates are to rise enough to recruit more workers, councils will need more public money. 4/6
But the Cons manifesto only promised an extra £1bn, split between adults and children’s care. That must also pay for the cost of increasing demand from older and disabled people. So the budget will be a test whether #socialcare is really a priority for the government. 5/6
(Is this just about money? Couldn’t a - reduced - workforce become more productive with technology? Yes it can help but #socialcare remains a hands-on service, most of which cannot be automated. It needs people, people need paying, and pay costs money). 6/6
