The Fair Pay Agreement process in adult social care: consultation

The government is currently consulting on the process for negotiating a new Fair Pay Agreement for adult social care. This consultation sets out how the process for deciding a new agreement would work and asks for feedback on this process. 

This consultation is open until the 16 January 2026. The NHF will be submitting a response on behalf of our members, and we have written a briefing explaining how the proposals will affect housing associations who provide care and support. 

What is included in this consultation? 

This consultation proposes the process for deciding what the new Fair Pay Agreement and the Adult Social Care Negotiating Body will look like. 

Parts of the consultation will affect our members who provide care and support to residents, including: 

• Who will be part of the Adult Social Care Negotiating Body. This would bring together unions and employer representatives to agree on national standards. 
• What the negotiation process could look like. The consultation sets out what the stages of the negotiation process will look like, as well as timelines.  
• The potential coverage and remit of the Fair Pay Agreement. The consultation is looking for views on which job roles should be in scope and whether wider employment policies should be in scope as well as pay. 
• Dispute resolution. This includes what is classed as a dispute, how the resolution process is set in motion, and who should be involved. 
  Implementation, compliance, and enforcement. The consultation asks what the sector will need to implement the changes and what will happen if an organisation doesn’t comply. 

We know our members support improving pay and working conditions for their care and support staff. Recruitment and retention are also key priorities for housing associations, and in particular supported housing. However, we want to make sure that these proposals are fully funded, and that they do not replicate existing regulations like the Competence and Conduct Standard. 

NHF members can download a briefing on the consultation below. We’ll be submitting a full response on behalf of our members. If you have any questions or would like to tell us what you think, please get in touch using the contact details below.