A SOCIAL care charity that has services in Durham has announced it will give its staff a vital and much-needed pay rise in April – which will add to a £3m investment from the organisation.  

Community Integrated Care will pay its frontline Support Workers £10 per hour from April 1, 2022, which will become the second uplift in six months for the charity’s 5000 strong workforce. 

This pay rise will see the charity give more than both the Government’s National Living Wage and the voluntary real Living Wage. 

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The move represents a further £3 million investment from the organisation, in addition to £5m already spent improving employee pay, reward and wellbeing in Autumn 2021, reflecting the charity’s commitments to frontline recognition under its five-year strategy. 

According to the charity, as the UK faces a looming cost-of-living crisis, with the price of goods, energy and household bills continuing to climb and inflation at a 30-year high, it is hoped that the rise will help alleviate some of the worry facing Community Integrated Care’s frontline workforce. 

This industry-leading rate of pay means that a frontline Support Worker in England working 40 hours per week will now receive a boost of an extra £625 per year.  

The Northern Echo: frontline Support Worker in England working 40 hours per week will now receive a boost of an extra £625 per year. Picture: NORTHERN ECHO.frontline Support Worker in England working 40 hours per week will now receive a boost of an extra £625 per year. Picture: NORTHERN ECHO.

Mark Adams, chief executive officer at Community Integrated Care, said: “As the social care sector continues its battle with low pay and skills shortages, our charity is proud to be in a position where we can go some way in fulfilling our commitment to valuing and rewarding our colleagues fairly for the outstanding work they do. 

“We urgently need action from central government, including sustainable funding and an effective workforce strategy, to address the significant challenges social care is facing. In the meantime, our charity will continue to campaign for real change, so that these rates become the norm and not the exception in our sector.” 

Teresa Exelby, chief people officer at Community Integrated Care, added: “Throughout the most testing two years in recent history, our caring and committed colleagues have continued to provide life-enhancing support to thousands of people in our local communities.  

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“The world has changed immeasurably within this period and even now, as we emerge from the Covid-19 pandemic, our colleagues are grappling with steep increases to the costs of living, leaving many people understandably anxious about what lies ahead. 

“Whilst we know there’s no quick fix to these issues, we hope that this £3 million investment goes some small way in making daily life easier for our teams, demonstrating our commitment to making our Best Lives Possible strategy a reality for not only the people we support, but our colleagues too.” 

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