We are delighted to announce that we will be providing a substantial boost to our dedicated team of employees this year in a bid to recognise their skills and commitment and, at a time when the country is facing a social care staffing crisis, further reduce our staff turnover (which is currently 10% less than the national sector average). 

We are set to significantly expand our investment in staff in 2022/2023, with a 157% raise in our learning and development expenditure as well as a substantial increase to the minimum salary for all our employees to bring their pay rate above the level of the UK real Living Wage.

The increased investment in our employee learning and development over the next year and beyond is a reflection of our recognition of the need to offer more than just a job. This goes above the mandatory training required in the sector and supports managers and all employees, whatever their career ambitions with Aspens.

From April 2022, all employees at Aspens will earn at least £10 per hour* and staff based in Bexley, Greater London, will receive a minimum of £11.05 per hour*, to include the London weighting allowance. This marks an 11% uplift for some of our staff.

The real Living Wage is a UK wage rate voluntarily paid by employers who believe their staff deserve a wage which meets everyday needs. The National Living Wage (the Government minimum for over 23s) is currently £8.90 per hour, whereas the real Living Wage is £9.90 per hour across the UK and £11.05 in London.

Our CEO Robbie Shanahan recently appealed for more sustainable financial support to help pay staff the amount they deserve, address the rising costs of inflation and to provide services to support the wellbeing of employees.

Aspens’ Senior Support Worker, Ella Harbour, applauds the announcement and said: “I love my job and with the cost of living rising, I really appreciate that Aspens are willing to support us by increasing our wages to make our lives outside of work easier. It’s easy to find a job that pays well but not as easy to find one which pays well and gives job satisfaction. At Aspens, we can see the difference every day that we are making to the people we support. It’s great to know that my employer is recognising the hard work we do and the skills we have as support staff in the social care sector.”

Jo Gouldthorpe, Director of HR at Aspens, said: “At Aspens we believe that working in the care sector is much more than a job or a pay cheque, and having listened to our staff we’ve taken the decision to boost wages and significantly increase our investment in learning and development to ensure we can provide real and sustainable careers for many years to come. This has been an especially difficult time for frontline staff who provide exceptional round the clock support to the people we care for. We value staff wellbeing and are delighted to announce that from next spring we will be able to offer a real living wage to our employees, alongside the wide range of staff benefits and increased support we already offer. Recruitment and retention of staff is a key priority for us. We’ve worked hard to prioritise payment of staff to show our utmost appreciation for all that they do.”

The announcement that we will offer a minimum of £10 per hour to all our employees, which exceeds the UK real Living Wage, is in addition to the wide range of employee benefits already in place, including an Employee Assistance Programme, with a helpline which offers counselling, financial, legal and wellbeing support, alongside a Death in Service benefit, interest-free travel season tickets, access to staff shuttle buses, and the Blue Light Card, which offers money off holidays, fashion, days out and lots more.

*With the exception of under 18s and apprentices.

#BetterPayForSocialCare