A new negotiating body will be set up to deliver the first ever fair pay agreement for adult social care.

The body will be set up by the end of the year, bringing together trade unions and employers to negotiate on behalf of the sector.

Through the body, care providers and workers will have voting rights on important issues including pay, terms and conditions, and wider employment matters through a regular negotiation process. The body will also have an independent chair to be appointed in early 2027.

The first ever adult social care fair pay agreement is backed by £500 million for the first agreement in 2028 to 2029.

The first round of negotiations will begin in April 2027, and the first settlement will be introduced by April 2028.

Minister of State for Care Stephen Kinnock said: "Our 1.5 million compassionate, dedicated and hard-working carers deliver a vital service - making people’s lives better, giving them dignity, joy and independence.

"For too long this workforce - equal in size to our NHS - has been overlooked and forgotten, with care workers exploited by low pay and poor working conditions.

"This government is turning a page. We are giving care workers a voice and a fair deal, we are giving them better rights, proper training and opportunities for progression - and bolstering the workforce while making caring a more attractive career."

Oonagh Smyth, CEO of Skills for Care, said: "The 1.5 million adult social care workers deserve rewards that support recruitment and career progression. The fair pay agreement is a crucial step toward improving care roles and securing skilled staffing.

"To succeed, this process must be backed by reliable data to support the UK’s 19,000 care providers. Aligning the fair pay agreement with the newly expanded care workforce pathway roles will directly link fair pay to career development. Together, they make adult social care a rewarding, structured profession."