Jab backdown the right thing to do, but the damage has already been done

These ill-thought-out rules have worsened the staffing crisis hampering the NHS and social care and caused significant upset.

Jab exodus in healthcare is a crisis entirely of the government’s making

It’s nothing short of a tragedy that huge amounts of time and resources have been wasted.

After a year of COVID, what have we learned?

This week marked a whole year since the country went into lockdown as COVID-19 surged across the UK. In that year, we have seen the government repeatedly mismanage the situation, ignoring the Govt advisory group SAGE warnings until they had no option but to act. Over 126,000 lives have been lost. As the nation fell […]

‘One job’ rule without pay pledge could plunge care staff into poverty

Government must guarantee staff can work additional hours or get compensation for lost wages

Government breaks pledge to stop low-paid health & care staff paying twice to use the NHS

Boris Johnson promised a lifeline to low-paid workers then callously pulled it away

The story behind our massive legal win for homecare workers

‘The best of trade union empowerment’. UNISON branch officers, lawyers and members recall a four-year battle to win pay justice

Happy birthday NHS, and thank you

The role of the NHS in the Covid-19 crisis has really shone a positive spotlight on our essential UNISON members, who have worked endless hours throughout, caring for others

Funding must go to care workers in need, not employers’ bank accounts

Government must ensure cash goes to staff

Care home deaths expose social care system ‘unfit for purpose’, says UNISON

Responding to figures published today (Tuesday) by the Office for National Statistics showing 1,800 care home deaths in the South East of England linked to coronavirus up to 8 May, UNISON South East regional secretary Steve Torrance said: “This is a shocking price being paid by elderly and vulnerable people whose families believed they were being kept […]

Winning Fair Pay in Adult Social Care

After a long wait, in the summer of 2018, both Independence Support Assistants and Higher Grade Social Workers working for Portsmouth City Council received grade uplifts. These regradings were well-earned but destabilised the overall pay structure. Through UNISON members working together and standing up for each other, Adult Social Care staff challenged and won fair […]

Social care wages scheme helps no-one, says UNISON

Commenting on the government’s new scheme for social care employers that sets out to address the problems where sleep-in staff have not been paid the minimum wage, UNISON assistant general secretary Christina McAnea said: “This scheme helps no-one. The care system is creaking at the seams, and no-one wants to see it plunged further into crisis. […]

Home care: Low paid workers told to wait for back pay

Government move a ‘cruel blow’ to carers denied the minimum wage for sleep-ins

Give all councils greater share of business rates to fund social care, says UNISON

All local authorities in England should be allowed to keep a greater share than they do currently of business rates so they can afford to fund social care properly, says UNISON today (Wednesday). The union is urging the government to grant councils better terms along similar lines to a deal agreed earlier this month with […]

Use unallocated business rates to ease the social care funding crisis

    The government could ease the social care crisis by handing back to councils in the South East millions in surplus cash raised from business rates, according to new figures published today (Wednesday) by UNISON. If local authorities in the South East were given back their share of business rates that have been collected […]