Social care pay dissatisfaction remains high in 2025, with rising wages failing to fully offset inflation and cost-of-living pressures −meaning employees are struggling to feel better off despite policy and sector changes.
Across the UK, social care workers continue to voice strong frustrations about their pay and financial insecurity. While the government raised the National Living Wage (NLW) in April 2025, most care staff still only just exceed the legal pay minimum, and many rely on second jobs just to balance household bills. Crucially, the real value of these pay increases has been eroded by persistently high inflation and above-inflation hikes in core living costs—reducing genuine real-terms pay rises to less than 2% this year.
Surveys show a stark divide in confidence: Only 42% of low-paid UK workers earning under £25,000 believe their pay will keep pace with the cost of living, as compared to 73% of those on £60,000+. Additionally, for social care, which employs 1.59 million people in England alone, dissatisfaction over pay is often compounded by difficult working conditions, high stress and a lack of opportunities for real career advancement.
Cost-of-living pressures
The story of social care worker pay is nuanced. At the surface, wages appear to be rising, driven by both policy and competitive recruitment. Yet dig deeper and a different view emerges: The legacy of years of underfunding in the sector and the recent cost-of-living crisis has left many social care workers facing financial insecurity:
Peak inflation of 11.1% in 2022 still casts a shadow three years on, with food, rent, energy and transport costs outstripping wage gains year after year
Four in ten UK workers report “little or nothing left” for savings after paying bills, with social care staff among those bearing the brunt
Record numbers of care workers are seeking second jobs −often out of necessity, not choice
This reality is not unique to social care, but the impact is particularly severe given the sector’s dependence on low-wage roles and its long-running struggle to retain essential staff.
Above-inflation pay rises: Seen as still not enough
The NLW increase to £12.21 from April 2025 represented a 6.7% uplift for most care workers, yet the real-terms improvement −after accounting for inflation and cost-of-living increases − is only1.8%.While it’s true that many care workers received slightly above-inflation pay increases, partially bridging historic pay gaps with NHS counterparts, a sense of unfairness persists. Reports highlight the 35.6% pay gap between social care support workers and NHS staff, amounting to £7,617 a year −despite jobs of similar complexity and emotional resilience. While NLW increases have now partly narrowed this gap, parity remains a long way off.
Poor pay perceptions driving an exodus of care workers
At 24.8%, the care sector’s attrition rate is 50% higher than the average turnover rate for all UK workers – a situation that has given top employees more bargaining power. They now require strong reasons to stay with their employer – better pay is one of them – and when they don’t get what they want, they are voting with their feet. Labour shortages in areas such as retail, logistics and hospitality mean that care workers can often secure less demanding jobs with more predictable schedules and pay that matches or exceeds what is offered in care.
However, the key point is this: For many care workers, the decision to leave is not about abandoning care, but about seizing alternative opportunities they perceive as more secure or rewarding. Low pay alone does not explain why care workers leave their current job or vacate the industry. Instead, pay functions as a blunt incentive in a sector where motivation is more often shaped by fairness, recognition and sustainability as much as the headline wage.
Greener pastures:
47% of care workers who leave the sector seek employment in the NHS, where they may achieve higher pay and better working conditions.
What social care employers must do: A five-step retention plan
Addressing the pay perception gap to support employee retention requires more than simply hiking wages. The solution lies in listening to workers and aligning employment packages to match what staff truly value – also known as giving workers what they want:
Transparent pay benchmarking
Publish region-by-region pay rates per job role, ensuring staff see how their pay compares locally and nationally. This builds trust and aids retentionAbove-inflation, predictable pay rises
Commit to pay increases that match or exceed inflation and clearly schedule them. Remove uncertainty and communicate the rationale for pay structures and incrementsCareer progression and training
Offer funded training, mentoring and mapped career routes, enabling staff to aspire to higher-paid, skilled roles within social care or elsewhere in the health systemNon-financial rewards and wellbeing support
Expand employee benefits −pension contributions, paid sick leave, mental health resources, flexible scheduling, recognition schemes − to supplement modest pay increasesStaff engagement and consultation
Build retention by listening: Regularly consult employees about what works, co-design policies and rewards
Retention over recruitment
Retaining experienced staff is vital to continuity and quality of care. Employers who focus only on recruitment are fighting a losing battle: The demand for care is rising, and the sector’s high attrition rate loses critical expertise and increases recruitment costs.
Sector experts argue that social care isn’t just a cost, it is an investment in wider society, the economy and the NHS. Strategic pay benchmarking, transparent communication and a broad view of employee wellbeing can anchor experienced staff and make social care a sustainable career option.
See the bigger picture
Investing in workforce sustainability means understanding worker priorities, measuring pay against inflation, and building retention through genuine engagement, not just periodic pay rises.
See the Brook Street Social Care Salary Guide 2025 for a full understanding of pay rates for social care roles across every UK region, and practical examples of how to improve recruitment and retention. Don’t let the pay perception gap become an impassable chasm.