Posted on Thursday 25th April 2024
Staffordshire County Council’s cabinet member for health and care, Mike Wilcox.
Staffordshire and Stoke-on-Trent businesses are being encouraged to offer cost-of-living support to social care workers, who help some of the most vulnerable people in society.
Care organisations across the area have teamed up with the Stoke-on-Trent and Staffordshire Growth Hub to encourage businesses to offer discounts to people working across social care.
With a workforce of over 30,000 across both Staffordshire and Stoke, the need for social care continues to rise. Staff numbers will also need to grow so that vulnerable residents can continue to be supported.
Staffordshire County Council’s cabinet member for health and care, Mike Wilcox, said:
“Care staff were the real unsung heroes during the coronavirus pandemic and, in the face of the adult social care crisis, they continue to give their very best every day.
“Social workers, residential care workers and occupational therapists and nurses are just some of the workers supporting thousands of children, adults and more vulnerable people a day across our area. They do a great job and are crucial to mitigating some of the pressures that the NHS is under.
“Businesses in a position to offer discounts to social care workers can make a real difference to their wellbeing by helping to ease some of those cost-of-living pressures.
“This presents a fantastic opportunity for businesses to build their brand awareness and expand their customer base so, if this is something your business can offer, please consider it.”
Councillor Duncan Walker, cabinet member for adult services at Stoke-on-Trent City Council, said:
“Social care workers play a vital role in supporting some of the most vulnerable members of our society at a time when we are experiencing an increase in demand for support services in Stoke-on-Trent.
“We know that social care workers do an exceptional job, in sometimes difficult circumstances, so I hope that these discounts will play a small part in helping to alleviate some of the pressures they may be facing in their everyday lives.
“We launched our Help is At Hand campaign last year for anyone who is finding it difficult to manage their finances and are working with a number of partners to ensure residents are receiving all of the support they’re entitled to when it comes to money and debt, energy, food and health. For more information, visit www.stoke.gov.uk/helpisathand.”
Businesses interested in offering social care discounts can find out more at www.staffordshire.gov.uk/socialcarediscounts.