A home care company has been recognised as a great company to work for due how they treat staff.

Home Instead Senior Care in Ascot, Camberley and Wokingham has been officially accredited as a 'Living Wage' employer.

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This means that their 80 caregivers are paid what the Living Wage Foundation recommends as a fair living wage for the south east. Maggie Martin, owner of Home Instead, said: “Home instead has always believed in rewarding people for the work they do. This is a milestone moment that represents a firm commitment from us, as a company, to pay the wonderful people that work for us The Real Living Wage.

“Every day our caregivers make an amazing contribution to the lives of their clients. As the demand for home care had increased, people are recognising what a rewarding career in care can be in more ways than one!"

The real living wage is higher than the national living wage, which came into force in 2019 as the new legal minimum rate set by the government.

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Katherine Chapman, director of the Living Wage Foundation, added: “We’re delighted that Home Instead has joined the movement of over 6000 responsible employers across the UK who voluntarily commit to go further than the government minimum to make sure all their staff earn enough to live on.”

A care worker explained how carers are "thought of as low paid and low status" but this isn't true.

Maggie said: “For too long, a career as a carer has been thought of as low paid and low status. We at Home Instead are working to change the face of ageing by being the most compassionate, and most professional home care company a caregiver could wish to work for.”