A full-time care worker on the legal minimum earns £24,785 a year.

This September, the Motion team and a handful of our investors are moving for 24,785 minutes to put that number in front of people.

Running, walking, cycling, boxing, netball, the gym, the commute. Every minute logged, across the whole month.

Why this number

£12.71 an hour is the legal minimum, and for most of the care workforce it is the going rate. Before it came in this April, 48% of care workers were paid below it, so around 640,000 people got a rise simply to keep their employers legal. Five years' experience is worth 10p an hour.

Take-home on £24,785 is about £1,780 a month. The average one-bed in London rents for £1,733.

This is not a go at care providers. They can only pay what they are funded to pay. It is a call on government and local authorities to fund social care properly, so pay can rise.

Until it does

The Care Workers' Charity is what stands between a care worker and disaster. Last year: 864 crisis grants, averaging £422, paid out in nine days. Rent arrears, car repairs, funeral costs, food and heating.

Their own survey found nearly one in four care workers has used a food bank. And 87% still say they make a real difference to the people they care for.

£12.71 is an hour of a care worker's pay. £422 is someone caught before they fall.

Whatever you can give, thank you.

We'll be tracking our progress here: https://cosmic-cendol-b07d70.netlify.app/.