Reaction to Chancellor’s Summer Statement

“The Chancellor today laid some of the foundation stones needed to ensure that we rebuild the economy in a way that tackles both climate change and poverty. But much more will be needed over the coming months if the Government is to achieve its ambition of ‘levelling up’.

“A glaring omission in the Chancellor’s statement was the lack of action to support carers who have stepped up to get the country through the pandemic, yet continue to be paid less than they need to live on. Throughout this crisis, the Chancellor has rightly clapped the nation’s carers – today he should have used all levers at his disposal to ensure care workers are paid at least the Real Living Wage and to increase the Carer’s Allowance. A truly just recovery requires a new deal for carers.”

Ends

Notes to editors:

Research by the Women’s Budget Group has found that increasing the numbers working in care to 10 percent of the employed population, as in Sweden and Denmark, and giving all care workers a pay rise to the Real Living Wage would create two million jobs. It would also produce 30 percent less emissions and return 50 percent more taxes to the Treasury than an equivalent investment in the construction industry.