More than 100 organisations have signed a letter to Scotland’s First Minister calling for social care workers pay to be increased above a promised £12 an hour.

The letter to the First Minister, organised by the Coalition of Care and Support Providers in Scotland (CCPS), says a pay rise to the equivalent of the Real Living Wage sends the message that care workers are ‘only worth the bare minimum’.

CCPS and the 110 signatories believe that this undermines the ‘invaluable contributor made by social care staff’ in supporting people to thrive and live independent lives.

Thought to be the largest ever joint call on social care pay in Scotland, the letter comes months after Humza Yousaf initially promised a care sector pay rise to £12 which will not be instated until April 2024.

Today’s letter states that ‘£12 per hour is not enough’ in the face of Real Living Wage increases, as the organisations urge Mr Yousaf to rethink how social care staff are recognised and rewarded.

Rachel Cackett, Chief Executive Officer of CCPS, says:

“Social care is at the heart of the First Minister’s vision for ‘Equality, Opportunity and Community’ in Scotland. Yet it is systematically overlooked and undervalued.

“Organisations that provide social care are rapidly losing staff because the current pay of £10.90 is simply too low to retain them and they migrate to better-paid jobs elsewhere.

“It is a scandal that, in communities across Scotland, people who need support to live, thrive and stay independent, can’t get it because there aren’t the staff available.”

This comes weeks after Audit Scotland called for urgent workforce reform and closer financial monitoring across the public sector from the Scottish government and local governments.

Scotland’s independent watchdog found that pay deals across the public sector and an implementation gap have left the government with an expected £1bn shortfall in next year’s government.

In response to the letter, Scotland’s Social Care Minister Maree Todd says the government continues to work with partners to address the pressures faced and “take forward reform to deliver improved, sustainable services”.

Ms Todd says that funding for social care has increased by over £800m compared to 2021-22 as part of record high health and social care budgets, adding:

“Social care workers delivering direct care in commissioned services will see their pay increase to a minimum of £12 per hour from April 2024 – up from the £10.90 minimum rate introduced this year.

“The creation of the National Care Service will help to provide consistency in further improved pay and conditions, access to training and development and ensuring a career in social care is attractive and rewarding – but we are beginning to make those improvements now.”

Today’s letter, signed by leaders from Age Scotland, Child Poverty Action Group Scotland, Barnardo’s and Carers Scotland, asks the First Minister to ensure the 2024-25 Scottish Budget demonstrate a ‘rethink’ for how social care staff should be treated.

Chief Executive Officer of CCPS, Ms Cackett adds:

“As the First Minister will see from the range of signatories to this letter – the first time so many organisations have come together to make a joint call on this issue – we represent an emerging movement who are determined to bring social justice to social care and support.

“We are all clear that a better decision on pay for social care staff is needed in the 2024-25 Budget due to be published next month.”

Read more: Urgent workforce reforms needed for Scotland's NHS; Economic change key to Scotland's health inequalities; Independent Living Fund to reopen next year; Carers in ‘devastating' financial hardship

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