Unite | Stand up for social care
Unite’s Retired Members Stand Up for Social Care
Across the country, vulnerable people are struggling for accessible, affordable, good quality, compassionate social care. Unite’s retired members know that enough is enough; we need the government to act, now.
For the first stage of this campaign, Unite’s retired members are joining forces with Unite’s Local Authorities sector to demand fair funding for local councils and the social care they provide.
The funding crisis in local councils is forcing cuts in services, leaving those who need it without necessary support. Our MPs must act to stop the cuts to jobs and services and back our calls for fair funding now! Read more about Unite's Fair Funding campaign.
Unite's landmark social care survey
Unite conducted a survey of our members to understand the impact of social care privatisation, cuts, and underfunding. More than 1,000 members shared their stories and told us the heartbreaking issues they and their loved ones have experienced with care.
On the 6 August 2026, a delegation of Retired Members met with the UK Government’s Casey Commission, which is looking to reform the care system in England, to give testimonies about the state of care. We also shared the results of our survey, which were collated in the below report. Unite’s Retired Members’ experiences will now inform and shape the recommendations of the commission, and hopefully lead to major social care reform. Read the report below.
Read Unite's Casey Commisssion Social Care Report
Send your MP a postcard to demand fair and full funding for social care!
For 15 years local authorities have faced brutal austerity cuts, with frontline workers and services facing the brunt. This has to stop. The impact of the cuts can be seen in social care, with one in seven paying over £100,000 for their care in a privatised, fragmented system. Families are forced into selling homes, taking on unpaid care roles, and seeing their loved ones suffer from a lack of accessible, affordable support.
Meanwhile, social care and local authority workers have faced years of real term pay cuts, reductions in terms and conditions, fewer resources and job losses. But none of this is necessary. Austerity is a political choice, and we can see that it has failed. We call on the Labour government to do the right thing and fund adult social care fairly.
Materials to share
Download and print your own leaflets and posters to take action on social care in your area.
Downloads
(Selecting a download below will open up a PDF in a new browser tab)Find out more about the Unite campaign for change
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