In the summer budget, Chancellor George Osborne announced the introduction of a new National Living Wage. This will replace the Minimum Wage and is set to become law in April 2016. The wage will be for all workers over 25 years old and will be set at £7.60 in 2016. The wage will rise annually until it reaches £9.00 in 2020.

Since the announcement of this new scheme, concerns have been raised by some health-care sector employers as to whether they can afford to pay this new wage. They are ringing bells of doom, with phrases such as “disaster for Care” and “lack of funding could close homes” hitting the press.

For a care home paying the minimum wage or less, the rise next April will be a real hurdle to jump and will undoubtedly hit hard.

But at Milkwood Care there is no need for concern! The wage increases announced by the company in June 2015 mean that every Milkwood employee over 25 is already being paid more than the new National Living Wage.

Keep up Mr Osborne,
we’re a step in front of you!