Damning NAO report ‘exposes government’s lamentable approach to social care’

Responding to the National Audit Office (NAO) report on the social care workforce published today (Thursday), UNISON’s assistant general secretary Christina McAnea said: “This damning report exposes the government’s lamentable approach to social care, which is letting down elderly and disabled people, as well as the dedicated staff looking after them. “Years of underfunding mean local councils […]

Hartlepool signs up for ethical care

North-East council becomes the latest to commit itself to UNISON’s Ethical Care Charter

UNISON comments on the NHS ‘rent a room’ scheme

This scheme looks like another dangerous experiment

Graphic from the cover of the ethical care charter document

Sheffield signs up to the Ethical Care Charter

Yorkshire council becomes the largest local authority to sign UNISON’s charter

Home care: Low paid workers told to wait for back pay

Care workers owed up to six years’ back pay after being paid below the minimum wage will have to wait until October for the money they are owed after a government announcement today

UNISON criticises government announcement for social care providers

Commenting on the government’s announcement of additional support for social care providers, UNISON general secretary Dave Prentis said: “This announcement is a huge blow for low-paid workers. Each year, care workers are collectively cheated of £130m in wages, but this outrageous state of affairs has failed to prompt any meaningful reaction from the government. “Now ministers see […]

Care companies must give back pay to staff who do sleep-ins, says UNISON

Charities and care companies that have paid staff one-off payments for overnight sleep-ins should not be exempt from paying the national minimum wage, says UNISON. Claims for back pay could cost the sector £400m according to Mencap. UNISON believes care workers should be paid at least the minimum wage for work they have already done […]

General election 2017: Social care

With just a few days until the election UNISON looks at what the main parties have to say on social care – one of the issues that matter most to our members

General election 2017: Social care

With just a few days until the election UNISON looks at what the main parties have to say on social care – one of the issues that matter most to our members

Behind the headlines, Magazine on the Magazine site.

UNISON comment on Conservative social care plans

Commenting on the social care announcement that is part of the wider Conservative manifesto launch, UNISON general secretary Dave Prentis said: “Today’s social care announcement reveals what Theresa May’s Britain would be like. It threatens a further demolition of the welfare state, which would leave all but the very poorest forced to cough up for […]

Government guarantees might help reassure NHS and care workforces, says UNISON

Commenting on the report published today (Friday) by the Health Select Committee into the impact of Brexit upon health and social care in the UK, UNISON general secretary Dave Prentis said: “The Brexit vote has plunged the NHS and social care into deeply uncertain times. The government’s reluctance to grant EU nationals working in our […]

Cuts forcing social workers to ‘brink of burnout’, says UNISON

Social workers are struggling with heavy caseloads, working longer hours and going without lunch breaks, according to a survey by UNISON and Community Care magazine. Nearly half (48%) of respondents said the volume of cases they were responsible for left them feeling ‘over the limit,’ and more than half (56%) blamed staff shortages for their […]

UNISON’s response to the Budget

Commenting on the Spring Budget today (Wednesday) UNISON general secretary Dave Prentis said: On pay “For almost a decade nurses, teaching assistants, town hall staff and others in the public sector have had their wages frozen or been given minuscule pay rises. “These are the people keeping the NHS, schools and local communities afloat in […]

Adult social care is the biggest pressure on councils

Research reveals the pressure on councils