The Care Workers’ Charity Care Worker Wellbeing Report

We were honoured to recently join The Care Workers' Charity alongside care workers, MPs, sector leaders and supporters at the House of Commons to mark the official launch of their Care Worker Wellbeing Report.

With over 2,000 care workers’ voices represented, this groundbreaking report highlights the emotional, financial, and mental health struggles care workers face and the solutions they say will make a difference.

The findings provide a compelling and detailed portrait of the realities of working in Adult Social Care today.

Across each section of the survey and report, a consistent message emerged: care workers are passionate about their roles and are deeply committed to those they support, but they are doing so under immense strain and pressure.

Key findings included:

• Over one-third said their job negatively affects their mental health, yet only 52.63% felt their workplace provided adequate mental health support.
• 72.06% do not feel financially secure, and 22.86% have had to rely on food banks.
• 36.69% are actively considering leaving their roles, and 26.01% would leave as soon as they found another job.
• We were pleased to note that 77.76% (1,050 respondents) either strongly agreed or agreed with the statement ‘I am satisfied with the training received’.

Responses were particularly positive among those new to the sector:

• Less than 1 year: 81.16%
• 1-5 years: 77.91%
• 5-10 years: 72.98%
• Over 10 years: 79.04%

Overall, however, action is clearly needed across all levels to ensure all care workers are valued, protected and supported in their vital roles.

The following recommendations and calls to action were outlined as a result of the survey findings:

Invest in workforce wellbeing

• Embed mental health support in every care organisation.
• Ensure access to counselling, peer support, and rest breaks as standard practice.
• Promote flexible working for care workers to maintain a better work-life balance.

Improve pay and conditions

• Increase pay for care workers.
• Establish a Fair Pay Agreement for Adult Social Care to set minimum standards for pay, sick leave, and job security.
• Introduce travel time pay and fair mileage reimbursement for community-based care roles.

Strengthen training and career pathways

• Expand funded training opportunities and ensure access is equitable across care settings and roles.
• Develop clearer, nationally recognised progression routes for all care workers.

Prioritise safety

• Develop sector-wide policies to prevent and respond to harassment, bullying, and violence.
• Provide mandatory safeguarding training that includes the protection of care workers, not just those drawing on care.

Recognise and value the workforce

• Raise the profile of care work and shift public perception.
• Ensure care workers are included in all policy discussions that affect their roles.

The Care Workers’ Charity said:

“When care workers are experiencing burnout, financial hardship, and a lack of support, it is not only their wellbeing at stake, but the sustainability of the entire care system. We cannot allow this to continue.

Care workers are the backbone of society. They deliver essential, skilled, and compassionate support to those who need it most. And yet too often, they feel unsafe, undervalued, and invisible. Their wellbeing cannot be an afterthought—it must be the foundation for reform.

We welcome efforts to improve conditions in the sector, but these changes must be driven by the expertise and insight of care workers, with their voices sitting at the heart of every conversation, every policy, and every decision that affects them.”

“The wellbeing of care workers is central to the delivery of safe, compassionate, and sustainable care. Addressing these challenges requires coordinated, long-term action across government, providers, and wider society. The Care Workers’ Charity stands ready to continue championing care workers’ voices and working towards a sector where those who care for others are truly cared for themselves.”

Thank you to The Care Workers' Charity for such an important, insightful and impactful report and for their ongoing vital efforts to champion a fairer future for those who care.

At Social Care TV we believe that the wellbeing of care workers is vitally important both on an individual level and for the sustainability the sector as a whole. We wholeheartedly welcome the recommendations outlined in the report. We are proud to continue supporting this incredible charity.

The report can be read at:

https://www.thecareworkerscharity.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/Wellbeing-Report-2025-2.pdf