The National Care Forum (NCF), the leading association for not-for-profit social care and
support, has responded to the announcement of £500m to back the government’s
commitment to a Fair Pay Agreement for the adult social care workforce, alongside the
launch of the consultation to gather views on the design of the Fair Pay Agreement process
into how negotiations will work by Wes Streeting, Secretary of State for Health and Social
Care. Following the public consultation, the government says it aims to lay secondary
legislation and create a new negotiating body in 2026 which will conduct negotiations in
2027 ahead of implementation in 2028-29.
Vic Rayner, CEO of NCF commented: “After months of speculation, the government has put
on the table the public funding they are making available to back their flagship Fair Pay
Agreement. This announcement triggers the launch of a consultation period on key areas,
including who is included in an agreement, what it covers in relation to pay, terms and
conditions, how the negotiations will operate in practice, and enforcement.
“As part of the Care Provider Alliance, we have been clear all along that it is not possible for
a Fair Pay Agreement to deliver without properly addressing issues associated with how
care is commissioned, long term sustainable funding commitments, a properly resourced
negotiating infrastructure and a shared understanding of the data needed to inform
negotiations.
“As the voice of the not-for-profit care and support sector, we will be encouraging our
members to engage in the consultation on the Fair Pay Agreement. Their insights,
experience, and evidence are essential to building a Fair Pay Agreement that works for
providers, our brilliant workforce, and the people who draw on care and support.”
