The Care Workers Charity

Who we are

The Care Workers’ Charity (CWC) is dedicated to supporting the social care workforce, those providing care and support to the million+ people drawing on social care. During the COVID-19 pandemic, the “Clap for Carers” campaign brought the contributions of care workers into the national spotlight. We believe that care workers deserve recognition, support, and advocacy for the vital work they do every day. Our mission revolves around three key pillars: crisis support, mental health initiatives, and advocacy for fair treatment, pay, and recognition. Since 2020 we have paid over £6.5 million to over 13.1 thousand care workers.

We support the almost 2 million care workers in the UK, contributing to one of the largest workforces. They care for some of the most vulnerable people in our society with little recognition and often no reward.

Care workers face challenges every day such as loss of income, inconsistent hours, consequences of low recruitment and retention and lack adequate resources to help care workers do their job to the best of their ability.

We provide grants to people who have worked in a paid role in the UK`s care sector and are involved in or support the provision of care. This includes people who have been involved in residential social care, home care, supported living care or day care. Staff of any role working in a care setting may be eligible for support. This includes care staff, domestic, back office and catering staff. Grants are not required to be paid back.

Crisis Support

Caring for others is a demanding job, and sometimes, care workers themselves find they need help. The Care Workers’ Charity is here to provide immediate financial assistance to those facing crises. Whether it's sudden illness, unexpected expenses, or a personal emergency, our grants provide essential support during challenging times. We have distributed over £6.2 million to more than 12,200 care workers. Beyond financial aid, our Grants Team offers resources and signposting to ensure that care workers can access the full spectrum of help available to them.

Mental Health Initiatives

Partnering with Red Umbrella, we provide free counselling sessions and Mental Health First Aider training to care workers. This initiative has benefited over 500 care workers, helping to address the mental health challenges that can be prevalent in such a demanding profession. Mental Health First Aider Training allows care workers to support their colleagues and is creating a nationally accredited. We recognise the importance of mental well-being, not just for the individual care workers but also for the quality of care they can provide for those they support.

Advocacy and Campaigning

At the CWC, we actively campaign for the fair treatment, recognition, and pay that care workers deserve. Care work is skilled, essential work, and it should be recognised as such. Through our workforce advocacy program, we engage in projects, advisory boards, and collaborations to push for improvements in working conditions, comprehensive training, and fair wages. We believe that care workers should be treated with the respect and dignity that their vital roles demand.

Care Worker Consultation and Co-Production

We believe that the voices of care workers should be central to any conversation about social care's future. That’s why we are launching our Care Worker Advisory Board and host initiatives like Professional Care Workers’ Week. Through these platforms, we gather insights directly from care workers, ensuring their experiences and perspectives shape our work, as well as broader policy and research discussions. We've also involved care workers in research projects including the ethical use of AI in social care in partnership with the University of Oxford and the use of electric cars in care workers alongside Possible.

Our culture and values

The Care Workers' Charity is dedicated to advancing the financial, professional, and mental well-being of care workers across the UK. We achieve this through grants, resource guidance, training and development, mental wellbeing support, and advocacy for fair pay, working conditions and recognition. Through our initiatives, care workers receive crucial assistance during times of need and benefit from ongoing development opportunities and meaningful engagement in shaping the policies that affect their profession.

Care Worker-Centric: We prioritise the needs and voices of care workers in all aspects of our work, ensuring that their experiences and insights guide our initiatives.

Providing Better Care: We believe that when care workers are in a strong position, they not only provide excellent care but can also become powerful advocates for those accessing social care services, friends, family, and the wider community.

Compassionate Support: We provide immediate financial aid and mental health resources to care workers facing crises, fostering a supportive environment where they feel valued.

Advocacy for Change: We advocate for fair wages, respect and recognition, comprehensive training, and improved working conditions for care workers, actively campaigning to raise awareness and drive systemic change within the caregiving profession.

Collaborative Partnership: We collaborate with organisations and stakeholders to amplify our impact, working together to address the interconnected challenges faced by care workers and the individuals they support.

Continuous Learning and Innovation: We embrace innovation and research to better understand and address the evolving needs of care workers, fostering a culture of learning and improvement within our organisation.

Equality, diversity and inclusion policy

At The Care Workers’ Charity, we believe that a fair, inclusive, and supportive workplace is essential to the success of our mission and the wellbeing of our team. We are proud to be an equal opportunities employer and are committed to creating a working environment where everyone feels respected, valued, and able to thrive.

We actively oppose all forms of discrimination and are dedicated to promoting equality across every aspect of our work—from recruitment and training to pay and progression. Our policies and practices are designed to ensure fairness regardless of age, disability, gender identity, race, religion or belief, sexual orientation, or socio-economic background.

Here’s how we put our values into action:

• We ensure equal access to job opportunities and career development for all.
• Our recruitment processes are inclusive, transparent, and free from bias.
• We provide training to all staff on equality, diversity, and inclusion.
• We listen to and act on feedback to continuously improve our workplace culture.
• We foster an open, supportive environment where staff are empowered to raise concerns safely and without fear.

We are committed to reflecting the diverse communities we serve and welcome applications from people of all backgrounds. If you share our passion for making a positive impact in social care and want to be part of an inclusive and purpose-driven organisation, we’d love to hear from you.