Social care workers in England should receive a £1,000 winter bonus to protect struggling services, leaders have said.
The Association of Directors of Adult Social Services (ADASS) has called on the Government to fund the bonus to help stem the loss of staff from the sector.
The directors said it would cost the Treasury £1.4bn to fund the bonus, but it would recoup tax and national insurance.
Stephen Chandler, ADASS president, said: 'We are facing a perfect storm with staff quitting, family carers under immense strain, the NHS struggling, care providers going out of business and people being left without care and support. Courageous and compassionate people working in social care are quitting faster than they can be recruited and people who need support to live decent lives are waiting longer for help and getting less of it.
'Paying a £1,000 bonus to care workers over the winter would show that we prize their skills and dedication as a society.'
Care workers in Scotland and Northern Ireland have been awarded a £500 bonus, while those in Wales were awarded £500 in May 2020 and £735 in May 2021.
