A LOCAL politician has welcomed a pay rise for social sector workers across the area.

It comes after Tom Arthur MSP welcomed the First Minister’s Programme for Government as crucial to ensuring those who work in child and social care are paid fairly.

The rise means that private and voluntary staff working in Adult Social Care, Children's Services, and funded Early Learning and Childcare will be paid at least £12 per hour from April 2024.

Barrhead News:

Tom Arthur MSP said: “Increasing pay for those who care for the young and vulnerable is vitally important and will make a huge difference to social care workers across Renfrewshire South.

“While the minimum wage for adult social care staff is already around £900 a year higher in Scotland than it is in England, this uplift reflects the invaluable work done by those caring for the most vulnerable members of our society.

“The First Minister’s core missions of equality, opportunity and community are at the heart of this Programme for Government; with policies such as these benefitting up to 100,000 workers, of whom four out of five are female.

“The increase also reflects the SNP-led Scottish Government’s wider priorities on child poverty and fair work while recognising the critical role of these workers in our communities.

“I am very pleased to see the First Minister recognising the work of social sector workers in Renfrewshire South.”