Social care workers face unsafe working conditions and unlawfully low wages but still have high levels of job satisfaction, think tank finds.

A new report by the Resolution Foundation found that in April 2022 typical hourly pay among frontline care workers was £10.90 – below the economy-wide average of £14.47.

Funded by Unbound Philanthropy, the report also shows that the scale of low pay is likely to be far worse than official data suggests – with unlawful under-payment of the National Living Wage ‘potentially widespread’. Domiciliary care workers, for example, are rarely paid for travel time between clients’ homes, despite this time being included in minimum wage calculations.

The report, entitled Who cares?, combined new statistical analysis with findings from a series of focus groups with frontline social care workers.

As well as poor pay, Resolution Foundation heard about the safety concerns of those who took part in the study. Focus group participants who work in residential homes told the think tank that, due to widespread worker shortages, tasks that require at least two people present were often being carried out by a single worker.

Despite these challenges, one of the most important findings from the focus groups was how social care workers deeply value their jobs. Participants spoke about how the role felt more like a ‘vocation’ than a job, and about how much they valued the ‘rewarding’ human connections they have with clients.

Nye Cominetti, senior economist at the Resolution Foundation, said: ‘Social care workers fulfil a skilled and hugely necessary role in our society, and make a real difference to people’s lives. That’s why they love their jobs more than other low-paid workers do.

‘But the danger is this sense of vocation and commitment comes with a high price, including unlawful under-payment of the minimum wage and unsafe working conditions for some.

‘Addressing these problems isn’t cost-free but it is urgent given the chronic shortage of care workers. Improving working conditions in the care sector is the only route to making it more attractive for new recruits and giving our ageing society the level of care it deserves.’