Welsh care workers to receive £500 bonus, with calls for English government to follow suit

Campaigners in England are calling on the government to match a £500 bonus the Welsh government is giving to all care staff who provide personal care.

The first minister has announced around 64,000 care workers in Wales are to receive the ‘generous gesture’ to reflect their 'value' during the coronavirus pandemic.

’We very much hope that the English government will follow suit and provide a bonus’

It comes after the Welsh government provided an initial £40m extra funding for adult social care services to help meet the extra costs associated with responding to the coronavirus pandemic.

Mark Drakeford told the Welsh government's daily COVID-19 briefing on Friday: “This payment is designed to provide some further recognition of the value we attach to everything they are doing.

“This group of people, usually women, often not well paid, are providing the invisible scaffolding of services which support both our NHS and our wider society.

“They are undertaking tasks, which involve a high level of intimate personal care, often accepting a greater degree of risk and responsibility. Many of our social care workers are juggling their own personal caring responsibilities with their professional ones.

“Without this small army of people, large numbers of others would not be able to continue to live independently at home, or receive everyday support with basic needs by living in a residential care home.”

The Welsh government is asking the UK government to not tax the £500 bonus and also not penalise people with working tax credits or other benefits.

In response to the announcement, the Independent Care Group (ICG) chair, Mike Padgham said: “This is a very generous gesture by the Welsh government, and it recognises the amazing courage that social care staff are showing as they look after older and vulnerable people during coronavirus.

“We very much hope that the English government will follow suit and provide a bonus for all the social care staff facing the same risks and doing an amazing job here in England.”

'At the frontline, social care support our most vulnerable citizens'

Professor Martin Green, chief executive for Care England said: “At the frontline of this pandemic has been social care and the amazing staff who support our most vulnerable citizens.

"They have been the heroes of this great crisis and need to be recognised albeit in one off rewards from government as in Wales, or a long term strategy putting them on equal footing with their colleagues in the NHS.

"Care England is doing its utmost to position social care at a top priority including staff being well resourced, trained and of course paid."

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