About 500,000 care workers are likely to benefit directly from the 2.2% rise in the National Living Wage taking effect this month. Others will gain where care providers raise higher pay rates to protect differentials.

While this is welcome, and the overall increase of 33% in the statutory minimum for workers aged 23 or over since 2015 has certainly had a significant impact, it is no substitute for the proper workforce strategy that the social care sector is crying out for.