Care workers and NHS staff in Wales to receive £735 each in recognition of their work during the pandemic

The Welsh Government has announced it is to give a one-off payment of £735 to NHS and social care staff to recognise their contribution during the COVID-19 pandemic.

After tax and national insurance deductions, most people will receive £500. It is estimated the payment will benefit 221,945 people in Wales including 103,600 social care staff, 90,000 NHS Wales staff, 2,345 deployed students and 26,000 primary care staff (including pharmacy, GP, dental and optometry staff).

Minister for Health and Social Services Vaughan Gething said: “Over the last year, Wales’ NHS staff and social care staff have shown a remarkable amount of commitment and courage from the initial outbreak of the pandemic right through to the current second wave.

“They will have suffered the impacts of the pandemic on their physical and mental health wellbeing in both their personal and professional lives.”

He added: “This payment expresses our gratitude to our NHS and social care workforce for their extraordinary contribution in keeping Wales safe.”

The Welsh Government is working with local authorities and with trade unions to finalise details of the scheme.

The bonus is further to the £500 special payment for care home and domiciliary care workers announced in May 2020 to recognise their work through the first wave of the pandemic. This bonus will be made to a wider group of social care workers including local authority social services staff.

GMB union welcomed the Welsh Government’s announcement, with Mike Payne, its senior organiser saying: “This is excellent news, and the least our magnificent health and social care workers deserve.

“Their care and commitment over the last 12 months fighting COVID has been exemplary, shouldering the risk without a second’s hesitation and facing up to challenges that could possibly affect them and their families for many years in the future.”

He added: “The only human response to that is to reward that upstanding sense of duty and it’s clear that this Welsh Labour government has put its money where its mouth is.

“They've shown health and social care staff that they’re valued, which is something that the Tories in Westminster could learn from.”

The Scottish Government announced late last year that health and social care workers in Scotland will receive a one-off payment of £500 for their work during the pandemic.

Care leaders have called for health and social care staff in England to receive a similar bonus payment, but as yet they have received nothing.