Editor's note: This brief was summarised by The Property AI Newsroom from a report by Gov.UK Housing. Read the original article for full details.

Government Announces Fair Pay Agreement for Adult Social Care Workers

Millions of care workers in England will be represented in upcoming negotiations on pay and working conditions through a new body established to deliver the first ever Fair Pay Agreement for adult social care. The initiative is backed by £500 million and forms part of the Government’s Employment Rights Act and the expansion of the Care Workforce Pathway.

The new Adult Social Care Negotiating Body will be set up by the end of 2026. It will bring together trade unions and employers to negotiate on pay, terms and conditions, and wider employment matters for the sector. Both care providers and workers will have voting rights on key issues through a regular negotiation process. An independent chair will be appointed in early 2027 to oversee the negotiations.

The first round of negotiations is scheduled to begin in April 2027, with the first settlement to be introduced by April 2028. The agreement is intended to address longstanding issues of low pay and insecurity for the 1.5 million people working in adult social care in England.

The Fair Pay Agreement is linked to the expanded Care Workforce Pathway, which introduces a universal career structure for carers. This includes nearly all adult social care roles that are not health or social work, such as catering and maintenance positions. The pathway outlines clear roles, responsibilities, and development opportunities, including 10 new role categories such as care technologists and activity co-ordinators.

These changes are part of the government’s broader mission to create a National Care Service. The reforms aim to boost domestic recruitment and retention of carers, raise living standards, and create more structured career opportunities within the sector.

For letting agents and inventory clerks, these developments may impact the property sector by influencing demand for housing and accommodation linked to care workers and care facilities, as well as affecting employment practices for those managing properties used in the adult social care sector.