The London Living Wage has just rise today to £10.75 but tens of thousands of care staff are paid little above the Governments National Living Wage of £8.21, says GMB London. Contributor Michael Ainsley, Regional Organiser  – GMB

GMB is calling on social care providers, councils and the government to recognise the jobs care staff do and sign up to the real Living Wage voluntary scheme which today was raised to £10.75 per hour.

Thousands of workers have received a pay-rise today as the London Living Wage rate increases to £10.75 per hour and the UK Living Wage to £9.30.

The real Living Wage is a Voluntary scheme which is paid by over 5,000 UK more enlightened businesses. Businesses who have signed up to the voluntary scheme will lift the staff’s hourly rate outside London to £9.30.

The scheme is separate to the Governments National Living Wage for workers aged 25 and above which currently stands at £8.21 an hour. Newham Council recently increased their hourly rate pay to its contracted home care providers, in order that they can pay their staff, a real London Living Wage.

Michael Ainsley, GMB Regional Organiser said: “In the week when hundreds of thousands of people stood in silence to honour those who have fought and given so much to our country, it’s scandalous that hundreds of thousands of their descendants are working without the dignity of being able to provide for their own families.

The London Living Wage rises today to £10.75 but tens of thousands of care staff are paid little above the Governments National Living Wage of £8.21. It’s nothing short of disgraceful that a mostly female workforce are being discriminated against.

“Everyone knows that the care sector is struggling with underfunding, it’s the Health service, Cinderella service and its long overdue that the Government and local authorities stopped doing a Pontius pilot and washing their hands off this disgraceful situation.