Care and Support Workers as Key Workers

Sakina Sheikh AM proposed, and Krupesh Hirani AM seconded, the following motion: 

“The Assembly notes the tremendous effort made by care and support workers across the city on a daily basis, particularly since the start of the Covid-19 pandemic.

However, care and support workers are currently excluded from the key worker lists that would give them preferential access to genuinely affordable housing through housing association key worker schemes.

In London, the average wage for care and support workers in the independent sector is £1,483 per month while the median monthly rent was most recently estimated at £1,475 per month. Extortionate housing costs mean despite working incredibly hard, huge numbers of carers can barely get by. This Assembly also notes that the overwhelming majority of London’s 220,000 care and support workers will be detrimentally affected by the reduction in Universal Credit of £20 per week.

The Assembly calls on the Mayor for care and support workers to be included in the Greater London Authority’s ‘core’ definition of key workers. This is so they be considered for key worker schemes and be given a chance of securing genuinely affordable housing.”

Upon being put to a vote, the motion in the name of Sakina Sheikh AM, was agreed unanimously.