Need more information?

Get answers to common questions below.

Along with UNISON and GMB, we submitted a pay claim to Coveberry on your behalf. We made the case that low pay and rising living costs are impacting your ability to make ends meet. We also informed Coveberry that many of you do not feel appropriately paid for the level of responsibility, skills and knowledge your job requires.

What we asked for

1. A commitment to improving pay to a minimum rate of £15 per hour, as quickly as possible 
2. A salary uplift of 10% for all pay points
3. The introduction of an improved occupational sick pay scheme for all staff, regardless of the cause of the sickness absence. This should include payment of occupational sick pay from day 1 of all absences and reflects infection prevention and control measures.
4. Paid breaks
5. Opportunities for professional development and advancement
6. Consideration of additional annual leave  

In response to: 

1. A commitment to improving pay to a minimum rate of £15 per hour as quickly as possible

Coveberry said: “The financial context of the organisation is such that funding in social care is becoming increasingly challenging. The additional costs arising from increases to National Insurance and National Living Wage are not wholly met by commissioners’ rates, which leaves us in some instances in a loss-making position.”

“Whilst we are unable to move from our proposed position, we wanted to highlight that there are other ways in which we aim to support staff to make their earnings go that little bit further.”

“With the exception of the DCA, Coveberry staff have meals and beverages provided during their working day, which goes some way towards mitigating the impact of rising food costs. Our Employee Assistance Programme run by Health Assured provides 24/7 support across a wide range of wellbeing matters and includes an FCA regulated financial helpline. Staff also have access to Caretech’s charitable foundation with a Staff Hardship Fund that is open to applications for staff for small grants if they find themselves in, or at risk of, significant financial hardship.”

In response to:

2. A salary uplift of 10% for all pay points:

Coveberry said: “This is not currently something that CareTech are in a position to agree to and this is for the same reasons as stated above regarding the increasing costs.”

“Pay for support workers and nurses has been benchmarked against Agenda for Change rates and we are pleased to share that our pay either matches or is higher. Our offer remains as previously communicated at the following rates. This maintains the differentials between roles and includes the national living wage increase.”

“The proposed pay uplift remains as:

• A 5.5% increase for support workers and senior support workers
• A 3% increase for all other roles”
  

In response to:

3. Occupational sick pay:

Coveberry said: “It would not currently be viable for us to introduce occupational sick pay across the whole organisation. We were concerned to hear about members reporting that they are at risk of burnout. We encourage staff to talk to their manager if they are experiencing significant tiredness and are in need of a break. We can then look at how we best support on a case-by-case basis and ensure that annual leave is planned in.”

In response to:

4. Paid breaks:

Coveberry said: “We plan our rotas carefully so that staff are able to take their allocated breaks. We do recognise that occasionally, unexpected incidents may interfere with these plans and we appreciate staff flexibility in these times. Our preference would be to review our practice around breaks to understand whether we have any hot spots of breaks not happening.”

“Breaks have an important role to play in maintaining equilibrium throughout often challenging days and we’re keen to ensure that staff can take this time to switch off and use this time as their personal time. In most cases, staff are able to leave the site during their breaks although we recognise that nurses may struggle to leave Redbourn owing to our need to maintain a minimum presence of nurses. That said, we can accommodate requests to leave the site during a break when advance notice is provided.”

In response to:

5. Opportunities for Professional Development and Advancement:

:Coveberry said: “We are committed to supporting the professional development and career advancement of all staff within our services, including support staff, nurses, allied healthcare professionals and delivery partners.

“We offer a range of structured learning pathways, access to accredited training, and opportunities for internal progression. We actively encourage staff to pursue further qualifications and provide support for continuing professional development. By fostering a culture of growth and learning, we aim to empower our workforce to reach their full potential while delivering high-quality care to the individuals we support.”

In response to: 

6. Additional annual leave:

Coveberry said: “It would not be sustainable for us to increase annual leave allowances in just one area of the organisation. Our staff are benefitting from an enhanced annual leave offering, which is above the statutory requirement.

“We recognise how hard our staff work and how important holidays are in providing an opportunity to decompress and switch off from work. We hope that by planning leave in advance, staff can arrange their time off to best fit around their personal circumstances. We shall therefore not be increasing Annual Leave entitlements beyond the current levels.” 

This offer relates to all staff employed at the following Coveberry sites:

• Oldbury Hospital, Langley, Oldbury
• Coveberry Redbourn, Gainsborough
• Coveberry Sherwood, Nottingham
• Coveberry Oakwood, Stoke-on-Trent 

If most of you vote to accept the offer, we’ll notify Coveberry that RCN members accept the pay offer. Coveberry will be in touch to let you know when you can expect to receive the uplift in your pay.

If most of you vote to reject the pay offer, we’ll consult with GMB and Unison before returning to negotiations with Coveberry. 

You don’t need an email to vote. You can also vote online above.  

To be eligible to vote, your RCN membership record must show that you work at the Coveberry sites listed below. You can update your details on MyRCN, or call us on 0345 772 6100 to make sure that your details are correct.

• Oldbury Hospital, Langley, Oldbury
• Coveberry Redbourn, Gainsborough
• Coveberry Sherwood, Nottingham
• Coveberry Oakwood, Stoke-on-Trent 

We’re not making a recommendation about how you vote on this pay offer. We do encourage you to use your vote and have your say.  

The effect on your benefit depends on your individual circumstances and the type of benefit you receive. Members who are on means-tested benefits, such as universal credit, should consider the implications of Coveberry's pay offer before voting to reject or accept it in the consultation.

To check your benefits situation, call the Citizens Advice Helpline on 0800 144 8848 Monday to Friday, 9am to 5pm. Calls are free. 

The offer is a gross figure (before tax), and you need to take deductions into account when considering the pay offer.

Pay is subject to tax and national insurance contributions. You should check the current income tax and national insurance rates to assess how the pay offer will affect your take-home pay. You can use the UK government income tax calculator to do so.

Rises in pensionable pay are also subject to increases in pension contributions. 

Members of pension schemes pay a proportion of their wages into their pension, as does their employer. The pension these members receive is determined by how much is paid into this pension and how it is invested by the pension provider. For most members in any pension schemes, receiving a higher wage may lead to higher pension contributions, but exactly what the impact of this pay offer will be will depend on your individual circumstances.

We cannot give you advice on the impact of this pay offer on your pension. If you want to know more about your pension, you should consult your pension provider first and then take up financial advice if necessary. 

The consultation will be open from 1 Setpember until Sunday, 14 September. 

You can vote online above. Only RCN members employed by Coveberry at the sites listed above are eligible to take part in the consultation on this pay offer. 

The consultative ballot will close at 23:59 on 14 September. You will not be able to vote after this time. 

To update your details, please log in to MyRCN, call RCN Direct on 0345 772 6100 (select option one), or email membership@rcn.org.uk you will need your membership number. 

Your employer will not know if or how you chose to vote on this offer. Your vote is confidential, and the consultation is conducted by the RCN.

The RCN will inform Coveberry of the outcome of this vote.

Yes, provided you are an RCN member and employed by Coveberry at the sites listed above, you are eligible to take part in the consultation on this pay offer. For your vote to be counted your MyRCN record must be updated to include that you work there.

To update your details, log in to MyRCN or call RCN Direct on 0345 772 6100 (select option one), or email membership@rcn.org.uk you will need your membership number.