LEIGH’s MP has expressed her “disappointment”with a High Court ruling in which social care providers will no longer be required to pay £400m in back pay to carers.

The Court of Appeal has overturned the outcome of a tribunal last year which decided support workers should be be paid the minimum wage on sleep-in shifts for the period they are asleep.

It had ordered providers to pay carers six years of back pay.

Shadow Minister for the Cabinet Office Jo Platt has voiced her sympathy for the carers.

She said: “The High Court ruling was a huge disappointment to our hardworking care workers who were owed these back payments for sleep-in shifts.

“Locally we have seen care workers undervalued and underpaid for the crucial overnight shifts they work.

“Workers sleep in residences to provide care but find themselves hardly able to sleep due to the enormous stresses and pressures of their care duties.

“Recently I met with workers from Imagine, Act and Succeed – a local based charity who care for people with learning difficulties, disabilities and the elderly.

“These workers should have been paid at least the national minimum wage for these shifts – it’s shameful that the regulations have prevented this and the court ruling authorising back payments now overturned.”

Ms Platt has accused the Government of underfunding the social care sector and increasing responsibilities and liabilities of organisations while cutting their funding.

The former Astley and Mosley Common councillor also noted the Labour Party’s proposition to “change the national minimum wage regulations to give our incredible care workers a fair deal.”