Fortava Healthcare Raises Carer Pay Amid Mounting Pressures on Social Care Sector 

Peterborough-based provider commits to workforce investment as sector grapples with rising costs and staffing challenges

Fortava Healthcare, a new entrant in the social care market with two homes in Peterborough—The Maltings and Thorpe Wood—has announced substantial pay increases for its lowest-paid carers, lifting salaries significantly above the Real Living Wage.

The decision comes at a time of sustained financial pressure across the health and social care sector, as providers face escalating costs including energy bills, food prices, and the recent rise in National Insurance contributions. Despite these compounding challenges, Fortava has pledged to absorb the increased operating costs in its budgets to protect both the quality of care and staff wellbeing.

Jamie Stuart, Chief Financial Officer of Fortava Healthcare, said: “We are acutely aware of the difficult financial environment the entire sector is navigating. Cost inflation continues to bite hard, and yet it is precisely in these moments that we must double down on our commitment to those who deliver care on the front line. Our staff are the backbone of everything we do—they deserve recognition, security, and investment.”

Fortava’s new pay structure positions it ahead of many local and regional competitors, and is benchmarked against leading providers nationally. The company’s approach reflects a growing recognition within the sector that recruitment and retention are inextricably linked to pay, conditions, and the culture of care organisations.

“We are not immune to the sector-wide pressures,” Stuart continued, “but we are determined not to let those pressures be passed down to our workforce. Absorbing cost increases is a strategic decision—we see it as an essential investment in service stability and quality outcomes for residents.”

Social care providers across the UK continue to struggle with workforce shortages, exacerbated by stagnant pay, increased demand, and rising operational costs. Fortava’s leadership believes that long-term sustainability in the sector will depend not only on policy reform, but on providers stepping up to champion fair employment practices.

The company’s mission to be an employer of choice in social care is underpinned by a values-led business model, prioritising staff development, wellbeing, and retention. Fortava has also committed to maintaining competitive remuneration as part of a wider workforce strategy, which includes ongoing professional development and the creation of supportive working environments.

“The social care workforce cannot be an afterthought,” Stuart concluded. “If we are serious about delivering high-quality, person-centred care, we must be serious about those who provide it. That’s the ethos driving this investment—and it will continue to guide our approach as we grow.”