Social care employees in Scotland will receive a pay rise of 3.3%, backdated to 1 April 2020.
The increase, agreed between the Scottish Government and Convention of Scottish Local Authorities (COSLA), is set to support social care employees and reward them for their hard work during the Covid-19 (Coronavirus) pandemic.
Social care support employees will receive at least the real living wage of £9.30 per hour, including sleep-overs, and hours worked by personal assistants.
Employees will also receive sick pay if they are forced to self-isolate, or are ill.
Additionally, the government is also ensuring social care providers have the financial flexibility to increase wages across its organisation, and not just to front-line staff.
Jeane Freeman, health secretary, said: “Scotland’s dedicated social care employees are on the front-line of our national pandemic response. Their work is always hugely valued, and never more so than now.
“The measures we are announcing in partnership with COSLA today will ensure all people providing adult social care receive the real living wage for every hour worked with immediate effect, rather than having to wait until later in the year.
“As well as providing an uplift in pay for all social care workers, this package ensures social care providers have both flexibility to increase wages across their organisations and the necessary funding for sick pay if their employees are off ill or are self-isolating.”
Stuart Currie, a spokesperson at COSLA, added: “Local government recognise and value the vital contribution of Scotland’s social care workforce and have made great efforts together to achieve an agreement that confirms the living wage as well as supporting providers where they are experiencing additional cost associated with Coronavirus. Today’s announcement reflects the key worker status of social care support staff and confirms support for those off sick or self-isolating.”