National Care Service: factsheet

Social care reform in the wider UK

There are some issues we need a four-nations approach to solve. That’s why we welcome the UK Government’s commission on social care. We look forward to working with the commission and the UK Government to develop solutions to the problems we share. We hope the commission will provide the same solid basis for change that our own Feeley Review has.

In the meantime, Scotland has been moving forward on many key areas. Examples include our work on sectoral bargaining and pay.

Sectoral bargaining

Scotland is making good progress on delivering sectoral bargaining for social care workers in the commissioned sector. The Fair Work in Social Care Group is now completing work on a model to put to Ministers for agreement.

The UK Government’s Employment Rights Bill also gives a legislative basis for an adult social care negotiating body for pay and terms and conditions. The Scottish Government is keen to use this to build on the work already done by the Fair Work in Social Care Group. We believe that all the relevant powers relating to a Scottish adult social care negotiating body should be given to Scotland.

Pay

The UK Government increased the National Living Wage to £12.21 per hour from April 2025. This applies to many social care workers in England.

The Scottish government will provide funding to local authorities which will enable an increase in the hourly rate for workers delivering direct care in commissioned services to £12.60 from April 2025, which is 39p higher. The minimum wage for full-time adult social care staff in Scotland is over £750 per year higher than for those in England.