Herald Express: Supporting our carers amid cuts

Carers Week, which began on Monday, comes at an incredibly difficult time for the sector. After years of Conservative neglect, many had hoped the new Labour government would deliver the improvements the sector desperately needs. 

Unfortunately, nearly a year on from the election, any improvements to social care have been small or non-existent. Not only this, but by the end of Carers Week, these minor positive changes may be swiftly undermined by what happens at the Spending Review on Wednesday. 

If the Chancellor ignores Liberal Democrat calls to rule out any real-terms cuts for social care, it would, alarmingly, be in keeping with the attitude they've shown towards carers since the election. 

Just take the planned changes to Personal Independence Payment (PIP), for example. While quite rightly a lot of the focus has gone on how these changes will impact disabled people, they'll also have a significant knock-on effect for carers.  

Unpaid carers of working age primarily qualify for Carer's Allowance if the person they care for receives the PIP daily living payment. Therefore, if the individual they care for loses their PIP, the carer is likely to lose their own Carer's Allowance. A recent study predicted this would happen to 150,000 people if the government's plans went ahead.  

However, the government is not only targeting unpaid carers but paid ones too. Its immigration white paper, introduced last month, sets out strict new rules to curb the number of care workers being recruited from overseas. These rules immediately set off alarm bells for those in the sector, with one local care leader telling me they were “baffling” with a “far-reaching impact” that could “very well close doors”. 

The reasons for their concern are clear: for years, the care sector has relied heavily on international recruitment to fill mounting job vacancies. Between 2022 and 2024, the care sector saw 185,000 international workers from 130 different nationalities join its ranks, while, in stark contrast, the number of British workers declined by 70,000. 

Rather than a silver bullet, international recruitment was a lifeline without which the sector could have collapsed. Instead of targeting international workers, the government should address why British nationals are so reluctant to work in social care. Part of this stems from the poor prospects for career advancement, highlighted by a report in March which found that experienced care workers earn just 4p per hour more on average than newcomers to the sector. 

The government could address this by establishing a Carer's Minimum Wage, something the Liberal Democrats have long called for. Without providing viable alternatives, the government's actions demonstrate a greater concern for the headlines they generate than for the real-world impact on the care sector. 

Contrast these two policies with the government’s main action to improve social care: the Casey Commission. Announced in January, this body will set out a vision for adult social care, with the aim of reporting its long-term recommendations in 2028. 

Now, I have no doubt Baroness Casey will deliver a comprehensive report, but the truth is not only do we not need the report, but we can’t wait that long to act. We already have a library full of ideas to improve social care; it’s time to implement them.  

It is ironic that this Wednesday, the NHS is likely to be one of the big winners from the Spending Review, with the Chancellor likely to say our health system is near collapse and requires urgent support. She is right to highlight this, but the government must realise the NHS cannot be fixed without also fixing social care. The Government needs to get serious and that starts by completing their review by the end of the year with the reforms to follow as quickly as possible.