FOLLOWING the real living wage rise to £9.50 an hour, the SNP’s health spokesperson has renewed calls on the UK Government to roll-out the real living wage to all health and social care workers in England – as has been the case in Scotland since 2017.
Dr Philippa Whitford MP has repeatedly urged Matt Hancock to ensure all care workers in England receive the real living wage in recognition of their contribution to the coronavirus response. Through Barnett consequentials, a wage rise for health and adult care workers in England would enable devolved governments to fund a further pay rise for equivalent workers.
Whitford said: “Care workers across the UK must be recognised for their immense contribution to the coronavirus response.
“In Scotland we are already doing that by ensuring our care workers get the real living wage and the bringing forward of their annual pay rise during the first wave.
“There are lessons to be learned from this pandemic – one is how critical a role key workers have played in all sectors, and the other is the incredible contribution made by all staff working in the four UK Health and Social Care systems; whether as a cleaner or a consultant.
“This contribution deserves to be recognised and rewarded and it’s time for the Tories to wake up to this reality.
“If the UK Government won’t change the law then it must devolve the powers so that the SNP Scottish Government can ensure a Real Living Wage is paid to all workers in Scotland.”
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