Pulse brief · 1 cited source · July 30, 2026
Britain dates a social-care pay agreement for April 2028
The Fair Pay Agreement for social care staff will come into effect in April 2028.
Britain's Prime Minister confirmed that a Fair Pay Agreement for social care staff will take effect in April 2028 and said the government is looking to build progression routes into the NHS. Resolution Foundation research says average pay among frontline care workers was just 79p above the minimum wage in 2024-25. A worker with at least five years' experience in 2025 could expect just 7p more an hour than someone with less than one year, and one-in-five (21 per cent) workers were on zero-hours contracts. The source also estimates that over 21,000 workers are underpaid the minimum wage, before accounting for unpaid travel time. Hannah Slaughter, a principal economist at the foundation, said the agreement should help and that better progression routes could encourage more people to consider care as a career.
Evidence
Each statement shown below is a verified claim this source supports.
- The Fair Pay Agreement for social care staff will come into effect in April 2028.
- The Prime Minister said he is looking to build more progression routes for social care staff into the NHS.
- Resolution Foundation research says average pay among frontline care workers was just 79p above the minimum wage in 2024-25.
- A care worker with at least five years' experience in 2025 could expect just 7p more an hour than someone with less than one year.
- One-in-five (21 per cent) workers in the sector are on a zero-hours contract.
- Resolution Foundation estimates that over 21,000 workers are underpaid the minimum wage before accounting for unpaid travel time.
- Hannah Slaughter of the Resolution Foundation said the agreement should help and that better progression routes could encourage more people to consider care as a career.