Komal's Story

Komal, 32, from Lewisham West and East Dulwich, trained as a care worker but couldn't find sustainable employment in London's social care sector. Despite demand for care workers and her qualifications, providers couldn't offer competitive wages because local authority fees are set below the cost of care delivery. Councils are capped by central government grant limits that treat care spending as a fiscal burden rather than as the route by which trained carers reach vulnerable people. The carers exist, care homes have vacancies, but Westminster rations the political willingness to fund proper wages. This episode examines how HM Treasury's spending caps create artificial scarcity in essential services. Blocked Britain is produced independently and receives no government funding.