If you have clients in the adult social care sector, a recently-published consultation response and updated Employment Rights Act 2025 timeline indicate the Adult Social Care Negotiating Body is on its way.
Employment Rights Act 2025 provisions allow the creation of social care negotiating bodies:
- The Adult Social Care Negotiating (ASC) Body (in England);
- The Social Care Negotiating Body for Wales (in Wales); and
- The Social Care Negotiating Body for Scotland (in Scotland)
On 30 September 2025, the UK Government consulted on the (English) ASC Negotiating Body. The response was issued on 16 July 2026 and ICB highlights the implications for employers.
Which Employers and Workers?
This will affect employers who operate wholly or mainly in, or in connection with, the provision of social care to individuals aged 18 or over in England. Social care is defined as:
‘any form of personal care or other practical assistance provided for individuals who, by reason of age, illness, disability, pregnancy, childbirth, dependence on alcohol or drugs, or any other similar circumstances, are in need of such care or other assistance’
It does not capture employers who wholly or mainly provide children’s social care.
Further, it relates to employees who work under a contract of employment, i.e. employees.
The ASC Body
The statutory remit of the ASC Negotiating Body will include pay and terms and conditions. It will bring together employer and employee representatives, supported by an independent chair. Collectively, for employees, the overriding function is to negotiate minimum standards, enforceable in law.
For Bookkeepers
Look out for Regulations that will clarify the scope of the employers and employees who are captured by the new negotiating body. The updated Employment Rights Act timeline indicates that this will be in October 2026 the first fair pay agreement will come into effect in April 2028 with negotiations starting before then.