A Lincolnshire-based social care provider for adults with learning disabilities, autism and complex physical and mental health has increased pay for its whole workforce.
As of last month, all 500 colleagues at Home From Home Care will have seen their pay rise by at least 10.5% compared to a year ago – with further pay rises for starting roles.
It means that everyone over 18 will be paid a minimum of £11 an hour or £22,880 per year in their first job.
Combined with attendance bonuses, paid for each successive month without an unauthorised absence, entry-level wages have risen to the equivalent of £11.33 per hour or £23,566 per year – a 26% increase.
The rise has been made to reflect the highly skilled nature of every role as well as the values, commitment and compassion colleagues demonstrate each day.
Managing director of Home From Home Care, Paul de Savary said:
“Families look after one another, and last summer, we became a fully family-owned care provider. That’s why we’re supporting our brilliant team by increasing pay across the board. Whether they’re in marketing, maintenance, HR or IT, everyone at Home From Home Care has had a 10.5% pay rise this year – and we’re focusing even greater pay rises for our frontline support workers to bring starting wages to £11 or more.
“We’re doing this because, even if you’re in your first job, you’re on track for an amazing career with us that can take you anywhere – but we only hire people who bring compassion, kindness and a commitment to help change the lives of others.
“On top of this, every job with us is a highly skilled one that requires training, expertise and incredible people skills. This means we have to be competitive, not only with other care providers, but with every other organisation looking to hire great people.
“We’re immensely proud to be supporting our colleagues in this way, especially while the cost of living is climbing higher.”
Figures from the Living Wage Foundation show that 71% of workers in the independent care sector are paid less than the real Living Wage (£9.90), with median hourly pay for care workers standing at £9.01. The real Living Wage is a voluntantarily paid wage rate that is calculated as the sum needed to meet a person’s everyday needs.
Home From Home Care operates 11 residential care homes and specialist support units across Greater Lincolnshire, nine of which are rated Outstanding by the Care Quality Commission. As a result, the organisation accounts for 41% of all of the Outstanding care homes in Lincolnshire.
Since the company became fully family-owned last September, Home From Home Care has transformed its pay and benefits systems, launching innovative flexible payment schemes to support a more diverse workforce. The latest in a series of pay rises since then has come into effect this month (July), increasing hourly pay for all roles delivering care in the homes by a further 50-80p per hour.
As well as this, the organisation has become an accredited Living Wage Employer and a signatory of the Armed Forces Covenant, pledging to support members of the forces community in work. Home From Home Care is also rated Platinum by employment appraiser Investors in People and it has won a series of awards including Best Care Home Group at the Care Awards 2020 and Tech for Good at the Lincolnshire Innovation & Technology 2021.
