Fair Pay Agreement in adult social care sector

Implementation date: Not expected before 2026

The Employment Rights Bill includes provisions to introduce a framework for a Fair Pay Agreement process in the adult social care sector.

The Bill provides for the establishment of the Adult Social Care Negotiating Body, with a remit to negotiate remuneration and terms and conditions for adult social care workers. Regulations will set out further details, including any other matters within the negotiating body's remit.

It is not yet known when this measure will come into force. In its Next Steps to Make Work Pay policy paper, the Government said it expects to begin consulting in 2025 on the various measures covered in the Bill and that it anticipates that "the majority of reforms will take effect no earlier than 2026".