Home care organisation Connected Health is to increase hourly pay rates for its 220 employees to bring these in line with the Living Wage Foundation recommended by the Living Wage Foundation.
This accreditation will see all 220 Connected Health workers receive a minimum hourly wage of £9.30 in the coming months, regardless of their age. This minimum hourly wage is substantially more than the government minimum wage for those aged over 25, which currently stands at £8.72 per hour.
This announcement sees the organisation become Northern Ireland’s first Living Wage-accredited care provider.
Dougie Adams, chief executive at Connected Health, said: “We are committed to paying the real living wage and to the provision of excellent training and career advancement to all our people.
“As one of the fastest growing homecare employers on this island, it is important that we do the right thing by our hard-working teams.
“Supporting our people, who deliver more than 1.6 million home visits per year, with a real living wage is the right move for our company as it fits perfectly with our culture of fairness and dedication to rewarding employees for tremendous effort.
“We at Connected Health are very proud to play our part in the great work of the living wage movement by standing by our people so they can more comfortably meet their everyday living costs.
“Not only will the wage benefit our employees but also the communities in which they live and work in all five health trust areas.”
“Now, more than ever, we are witnessing the bravery, commitment and loyalty of our carers – they have been heroes in their communities throughout the Covid-19 pandemic. The relatively low transmission and mortality rates in homecare is a direct result of our highly trained, well-protected and caring workforces.”
“It’s a significant sum and is really going to help. I’m currently saving money for a deposit to buy a house, so a pay increase is very welcome. More care providers should follow the lead of Connected Health because it really shows how much all the staff are valued and that is important.”