In Hertfordshire, we are always looking for ways to acknowledge our valued care staff. As part of our budget planning for the year ahead, we are proposing £18m funding to increase the wages of people working in frontline care roles.

The investment, which we are currently consulting on, would be paid to care providers we commission, with a view to increasing care workers' minimum hourly rates to £10.30 for residential workers and to £13.83 to home carers during 2022/23. This would elevate the pay of care workers to at least 80p above the national living wage of £9.50 per hour from April 2022, a step we feel is vital to recognise the crucial role they play in Hertfordshire.