Labour’s Workers’ Rights Bill will give those working in the social care sector the right to collective bargaining on pay, the Sunday Telegraph reports, which could result in a £5.5bn wage rise for carers, costing £24bn over the course of this parliament. This is according to a forecast drawn up by the Department for Health and Social Care before the election, assuming a new salary for carers of £15 an hour. Unions have said this is the minimum that adult social care workers should be paid. Labour figures have previously argued that the policy would decrease reliance on foreign workers, and, if successful, should be rolled out to other sectors. However, the Department for Health denied the report reflects government policy adding that no spending decisions have yet been made.
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