Seniors Helping Seniors wins Against All Odds accolade for showing leadership on the living wage in industries with high levels of low pay

Seniors Helping Seniors won the Champion award for the Care Sector at the Living Wage Champion Awards, which took place online on June 16 2021.

The franchise business won the Against All Odds accolade, which is for organisations that have shown outstanding leadership in industries with high levels of low pay.

Sally Wilse, co-owner of Seniors Helping Seniors UK Accepting the Living Wage Champions award for the care sector on behalf of all UK Seniors Helping Seniors offices.

Seniors Helping Seniors became a living wage employer in 2013.

Christian Wilse, owner of Seniors Helping Seniors UK, says: “The care sector needed an overhaul even before the pandemic.

“For us, experience is everything and we’ve been willing to pay for it from day one in the UK.

“The average age of a care worker for Seniors Helping Seniors is 59.7 years. We pay well and carefully support our carers in the flexible work they love to do.

“60 per cent of our clients live with dementia. No two clients are the same, so we need all sorts of carers to ensure we can match every client with someone with the right experience and someone they will get on with.

“Paying people well and supporting them to do amazing work is not only the only conscionable thing to do, the pandemic proved it’s the reason for our company’s success. Our carers wanted to keep coming to work because they love what they do. They were also able to keep themselves well because they live in small family units and they see few people for work.”

“We ‘re proud to say we didn’t let anyone down during the pandemic. Seniors Helping Seniors carers are stunning people and I speak for all our UK franchisees when I thank our carers and the Living Wage Foundation.”

Laura Gardiner, director of the Living Wage Foundation, says: “Despite the challenges of the past 18 months, the Living Wage movement has never been stronger.

“The Living Wage Champion Awards 2021 are a fantastic opportunity to celebrate the importance of a wage that truly covers the cost of living and the value this provides for workers and businesses and I congratulate Seniors Helping Seniors on their deserved award.”