The union for care workers GMB has criticised the Government’s announcement that national Minimum Wage enforcement in the care sector will be suspended for a further four week period, pointing out that additional funding is needed to address the case crisis in social care.

Responding to the announcement, Sharon Wilde, GMB national officer for care, said: “This disgraceful announcement shows that the Government is washing its hands of a care sector in crisis.

“Care workers perform extremely difficult jobs for very low pay, and Ministers are treating with contempt by not enforcing the National Minimum Wage.

“The average care worker earns just £7.75 an hour – just 25p above the minimum wage, and non-compliance with the law is still endemic in the sector.

“High turnover rates are already putting staff and patients at risk.

“The real problem is that there just isn’t enough money in the system. It’s time for Ministers to treat care workers with some humanity and put in the additional funding that we so desperately need.”