Adult social care is a vital public service. But this is not reflected in the pay and job quality on offer for England’s 1.6 million social care workers. Low-pay, zero-hours contracts, and breaches of labour market rules are worryingly widespread, and have contributed to a longstanding recruitment and retention crisis. The Government has rightly sought to address this by setting up a new Adult Social Care Negotiating Body (ASCNB), that brings together workers and employers to draw up a Fair Pay Agreement (FPA). But there are still big questions about how to turn this worthy ambition into deliverable improvements across the sector. How can the ASCNB be set up quickly while delivering lasting improvements to care workers’ conditions? Which workers should be covered by the FPA, and what terms and conditions should be included? And how should the FPA be enforced in a sector currently rife with labour market non-compliance? The Resolution Foundation is hosting an in-person event and interactive webinar to debate and discuss these questions. Following a presentation of the key recommendations from a new Resolution Foundation report, we will hear from leading experts on the key policy questions the Government needs to resolve to ensure the success of the Adult Social Care Negotiating Body and Fair Pay Agreement. The event will be open for people to attend in person, alongside being broadcast via YouTube and the Resolution Foundation website. Viewers will be able to submit questions to the panel before and during the event via Slido.
