Adult Social Care: Fair Pay Agreement and Workforce Pathway
House of Commons · Written Statements · 16 Jul 2026 · 1 speech · Official Report
Today, I am proud to inform the House that this Government are setting out the details of the adult social care fair pay agreement, a landmark reform that will turn the page on decades of low pay, insecurity, and the exploitation of adult social care workers. In doing so, we are one step closer to delivering on our manifesto commitment. Backed by £500 million in funding in 2028-29, the fair pay agreement will introduce annual negotiations between employer and worker representatives to agree improvements to pay and conditions for the adult social care workforce for the first time. Led by an independent negotiating body, the fair pay agreement will strengthen the voice of workers and employers, support recruitment and retention, and help build a stable, sustainable, and growing domestic workforce. Our response to the consultation sets out how the system will operate in practice, including how negotiations will be conducted, how agreements will be reached and implemented, and the role of the independent chair in overseeing the process. The Government will appoint a chair in the autumn and negotiations will begin in 2027. Alongside the consultation response, we are also publishing part 3 of the care workforce pathway. The pathway is the first time the adult care sector, a workforce of 1.5 million, has seen a universal career structure with consistent standards and expectations around the knowledge, skills, values and behaviours required to deliver high-quality, personalised care...