Demanding a better future for social care

Understanding the opportunity 

Insight was central to the campaign. Insight identified that in the past three years, a typical sales assistant has gone from earning 13p per hour less than a care and support worker to 21p more. This shift is having a huge impact on people’s career choices, with 152,000 current job vacancies across social care – an unsustainable shortfall of workers across a vital sector. We paired this analysis with fresh research identifying that 80% of the public say social care is as important or deserves the same respect as the NHS.

Bridging the gap 

To achieve cut through, we needed a clear, tangible call for change that multiple audiences could support. Through #SaveOurSocialCare, Dimensions calls on government to benchmark and fund minimum care worker pay at NHS Band 3 (currently £11.67 per hour). 

Engaging audiences 

To lead with ‘heart’ and ensure the views of those most impacted were heard, together we placed the social care workforce at the heart of this campaign. We empowered Dimensions’ colleagues to act as spokespeople for the campaign and spread the word to gather more support. 

Building value 

We launched a petition on change.org, encouraging the public and social care sector to back our call on government. Following huge traction and support, we then organised a march to 10 Downing St to deliver the petition signatures – attended by Dimensions’ Chief Executive, Dimensions support workers, people supported by Dimensions and cross-party politicians. In doing so, we positioned Dimensions as a champion of the social care sector as a solutions-focused provider, strengthening connections with changemakers in the process.