Adult Social Care Fair Pay Agreement pay calculator 2026 | Expert Zoom

Frequently Asked Questions

• What is the Adult Social Care Fair Pay Agreement?

  The Adult Social Care Fair Pay Agreement (FPA) is the UK's first statutory fair pay agreement, established under the Employment Rights Act 2025. It will be negotiated by a statutory Negotiating Body bringing together trade unions (UNISON, Unite and GMB) and employer associations representing approximately 1.6 million adult social care workers in England. The Negotiating Body will be set up in October 2026, with the first concluded FPA expected to take effect from April 2028.

• When does the Adult Social Care Fair Pay Agreement take effect?

  The statutory Negotiating Body is expected to be established in October 2026. Negotiations on pay, terms and conditions will take place during 2027, and the first Fair Pay Agreement is expected to be implemented from the 2028–29 financial year (April 2028). The government has allocated £500 million from the 2025 Spending Review to fund the first FPA.

• What is the current pay rate for adult social care workers in England?

  As of 2026, the National Living Wage (NLW) for workers aged 21 and over is £12.21 per hour (from 1 April 2025). The median hourly rate for care workers in England was approximately £12.00 per hour in early 2025 — just below the NLW at the time. No sector-wide pay bands have been set for the FPA; these will be negotiated by the Negotiating Body in 2027.

• How is redundancy pay calculated for adult social care workers?

  Statutory redundancy pay is calculated under ERA 1996 s.162: 0.5 week's pay for each year worked under age 22; 1 week's pay for each year aged 22 to 40; and 1.5 weeks' pay for each year aged 41 or over. Weekly pay is capped at £700 from April 2026, covering a maximum of 20 qualifying years — giving a statutory maximum of £21,000. The Adult Social Care FPA has not yet confirmed any enhanced redundancy above this statutory minimum.

• How many days annual leave do adult social care workers get?

  UK statutory minimum annual leave under the Working Time Regulations 1998 is 28 days (5.6 weeks) for a full-time five-day week worker. Part-time workers receive a pro-rata entitlement. The Adult Social Care Fair Pay Agreement has not yet confirmed any entitlement above this minimum; entitlement will be agreed during the 2027 FPA negotiations. Many individual employers in the sector offer additional leave above the statutory minimum — check your individual contract.

• What is the notice period for adult social care workers?

  The statutory minimum notice under ERA 1996 s.86 is: 1 week for employees with less than 2 years' service (after 1 month's employment); 1 week per complete year of service for those with 2 to 12 years' service; and a maximum of 12 weeks for those with 12 or more years' service. If you are resigning, the statutory minimum is 1 week. The Adult Social Care FPA has not yet set any specific contractual notice terms — check your employment contract.

• Which pension scheme covers adult social care workers in England?

  The pension scheme depends on your employer. Workers employed by a local authority are usually members of the Local Government Pension Scheme (LGPS), a defined benefit scheme with employee contribution rates of 5.5% to 10.5% depending on salary. Workers employed directly by an NHS Trust may be in the NHS Pension Scheme 2015 (employee rates 5.2%–12.5%; employer 23.7%). Workers in the independent or private care sector are typically enrolled in a workplace pension under auto-enrolment rules (minimum 5% employee, 3% employer on qualifying earnings).

• Does the Adult Social Care Fair Pay Agreement provide enhanced redundancy above the statutory minimum?

  No enhanced redundancy terms have been confirmed as part of the Adult Social Care Fair Pay Agreement process as of 2026. The statutory redundancy formula under ERA 1996 s.162 remains the baseline. Any enhanced redundancy provision for the sector will be subject to negotiation by the Negotiating Body. Contact your trade union — UNISON, Unite or GMB — for advice on your contractual entitlement once the FPA is concluded.

• Are personal assistants and agency workers covered by the Adult Social Care Fair Pay Agreement?

  Personal assistants employed wholly or mainly to provide adult social care are within the scope of the FPA. Agency workers providing adult social care are also within scope under the Employment Rights Act 2025. However, self-employed workers and those in informal care arrangements are excluded. Workers employed by local authorities and NHS Trusts who are already covered by national bargaining frameworks (such as NJC or Agenda for Change) may have a different or partial relationship with the FPA — the consultation raised this as a complex area.

• What rights do zero-hours care workers have under the Employment Rights Act 2025?

  The Employment Rights Act 2025 (in force from early 2026) gives new rights to zero-hours workers, including adult social care workers. These include: the right to be offered guaranteed hours reflecting actual hours worked over a reference period; the right to reasonable notice of shifts; and the right to payment for cancelled or moved shifts. Approximately 21% of posts in adult social care were on zero-hours contracts in 2023–24. Specific notice periods and compensation amounts will be set by secondary regulations. Contact UNISON, Unite or GMB for guidance on exercising these rights.