Delroy's Story

Delroy, 31, from Birmingham Hall Green and Moseley wanted to work in social care but found himself blocked by a system that refuses to pay living wages. In one of England's most deprived constituencies, care homes have vacancies and trained workers are available, yet they cannot connect. The barrier is not bureaucracy or red tape, but a deliberate political choice by HM Treasury and the Department of Health and Social Care to cap local authority funding below the actual cost of delivering care. This forces councils to set fees so low that providers cannot offer competitive wages, leaving both workers and vulnerable residents without the support they need. Disclosure: This episode advocates for increased public investment in social care through direct government funding.