November 2023: Engage Britain has now merged with Demos. You can still find all our work from 2019-2023 here, but to get in touch or find out about our new ventures, go to https://demos.co.uk/

Green Badge welcomed in Westminster debate

Minister of State for Social Care, Helen Whately, is sympathetic to our idea of a national parking permit for care workers

Social care minister, Helen Whately says she’s sympathetic to the arguments for a ‘green badge for care workers’ – marking a huge moment for the first Engage Britain policy to reach Westminster.

At a debate in Westminster Hall on Thursday 16 March, at 3pm, the Minister of State for Social Care, Helen Whately, responded to MP Damien Moore’s proposal for free parking for care workers. She committed to working with colleagues across government to explore what more can be done to help care workers with the cost of parking.

Whately encouraged local councils that are not currently helping care workers with parking to look at and learn from those that already have such schemes in place.

It marks a significant milestone in our push to have the ‘Green Badge’ adopted universally, one of our people-powered policy ideas which could make a meaningful difference to care workers right now.

The fact that MPs debated this idea shows us that powerful policy solutions can and should be developed by people with first-hand experience of the issues.

Andrew Gwynne MP quoted one of our participants, a care support worker, at the Westminster debate

The motion was put forward by Conservative MP Damien Moore with contributions from Shadow Minister for Public Health Andrew Gwynne, Labour’s Abena Oppong-Asare and Jim Shannon, DUP.

Damien Moore MP opens the debate on a national parking permit for care workers at Westminster Hall

Green Badge also makes the radio

Well done to Zoe and Kat, two of our health and social care participants, who appeared on BBC Radio 4’s Today Programme on Sat 18th March (tune in at 19mins) to talk about the idea of a national ‘Green Badge’ which they helped create, and the difference it would make for care workers.

Learn more about the Green Badge for carers