Support workers/carers travel time

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slicky202

Well-Known Member
Joined
18 Dec 2008
Messages
2,497
Location
rhondda valleys (wales)
The company I work for have decided we weren't entitled to travel time a couple of months ago and I'm currently working 11 hours s and only getting paid for 8 or less. FThis can't be legal to do, since the national minimum wage has increased I'm now worse off

Anyone else a carer or know a carer that has had similar problems? Any advice would be appreciated
 
slicky202 said:
The company I work for have decided we weren't entitled to travel time a couple of months ago and I'm currently working 11 hours s and only getting paid for 8 or less. FThis can't be legal to do, since the national minimum wage has increased I'm now worse off

Anyone else a carer or know a carer that has had similar problems? Any advice would be appreciated
Click to expand...

There was a recent legal case that says that care workers must be paid for time spent travelling between appointments, and that it must pay at least National Minimum Wage.

http://www.lrdpublications.org.uk/publications.php?pub=LR&iss=1705&id=idm7223928
 
slicky202 said:
The company I work for have decided we weren't entitled to travel time a couple of months ago and I'm currently working 11 hours s and only getting paid for 8 or less. FThis can't be legal to do, since the national minimum wage has increased I'm now worse off

Anyone else a carer or know a carer that has had similar problems? Any advice would be appreciated
Click to expand...

What company is this? name and shame mate.

As a carer we are very poorly paid, but this is just disgusting ! go to their HR department.
 
Legally they have to pay you any travel time 'after' your first call. First call is classed as travel to work. Any call after that then you are still officially classed as being on duty. Basic mileage is to be paid to cover the cost if petrol, this will be heavily reduced seeing as they are paying your time as well. Private care companies are well known for denying this payment.
I have a good understanding of the commissioning / brokerage side of things and such cost is taken into account when councils are arranging care packages with the private sector. They are not allowed to shave off the time you spend with each person you support either as the alloted time is agreed with council as well.

On a whole care pay is terrible. I have done it for twenty years and in that time my wage in terms if inflation as dropped considerably. I wouldn't swap my job for the world and no offence to others here but when the lady on the check out at asda is on the same hourly pay as you it is disgusting. Not dumbing down a check out assistants job now would I want to do it but they ain't dealing with medication etc.
 
We dot get paid anything for between calls and I'm doing 15+ miles between some calls. I've spoke to HR and they said they are trying to address my concerns. We get paid 25p per mile so not exactly raking it in there either. And with regards to the lady in asda comparison, our job is very responsible, and stressful at times. It's hard to stay cheerful for the individuals visit when you feel your being taken for a ride
 
Yes we are being taken for a ride and the demoralising is showing amongst teams. More so when you know someone is creaming masses of profit ar the top. Not saying I want to be making money on the back of what I choose to do but making a decent living for what can be stressful is all that's asked.

They play heart strings though as they know you do this type of work as you care. However they also know that it's so easy to replace folk.

I see people sprinting to their cars between jobs, driving quicker than is necessary all because theyre trying to shorten these unpaid times best they can.

Another situation where we have been massively short changed is that ALL expenses have stopped if you support people out in the community. No one's asking for a steak and fine wines but if you are supporting people to cafes etc as that's what they want to do then is it too much to expect a cup of tea? I personally don't trail round coffee shops as I cannot afford to do it but if it's an work role then buy us a brew. Again them at the top claim for everything.

I will reiterate I love what I do and wouldn't want to do different but don't take the piss.
 
Ill be hanging up my coat in the care sector in June... Privatisation across the board I'm afraid, mentioned 12 months ago that the NHS will start with mental illness, 12 months on?? The very same company I work for not only signs a multimillion pound deal with the NHS to subcontract, it released its logbook worth in fixed property assets, a cool half a billion at present... When care companies are releasing IPO's, it's time for anyone with a moral compass, whichever end of the scale you're on, to reevaluate....

Anyone needing an extremely handsome, funny, outgoing therapist.. Should of hired me 6 years ago )8
 
ruralblue said:
Legally they have to pay you any travel time 'after' your first call. First call is classed as travel to work. Any call after that then you are still officially classed as being on duty. Basic mileage is to be paid to cover the cost if petrol, this will be heavily reduced seeing as they are paying your time as well. Private care companies are well known for denying this payment.
I have a good understanding of the commissioning / brokerage side of things and such cost is taken into account when councils are arranging care packages with the private sector. They are not allowed to shave off the time you spend with each person you support either as the alloted time is agreed with council as well.

On a whole care pay is terrible. I have done it for twenty years and in that time my wage in terms if inflation as dropped considerably. I wouldn't swap my job for the world and no offence to others here but when the lady on the check out at asda is on the same hourly pay as you it is disgusting. Not dumbing down a check out assistants job now would I want to do it but they ain't dealing with medication etc.
Click to expand...

Yeah it's fecking disgusting mate. I wouldn't change my job either but it doesn't seem fair..

You are basically a nurse (medication), accountant (money), chef (cooking), befriender (travelling), councillor (chatting), all in 1!

The responsibility involved (if you make 1 mistake you are sacked or prosecuted) is miles away from a check-out girl.. who are basically all dumb teenage girl bimbo types from my experience.. no smile or customer service skills.
 
I do yeah, she just took up a managerial position at a company that does this to after being on the front line for 12 years.
I will ask her what she did when they stopped paying for certain stuff.
 
Malty said:
Yeah it's fecking disgusting mate. I wouldn't change my job either but it doesn't seem fair..

You are basically a nurse (medication), accountant (money), chef (cooking), befriender (travelling), councillor (chatting), all in 1!

The responsibility involved (if you make 1 mistake you are sacked or prosecuted) is miles away from a check-out girl.. who are basically all dumb teenage girl bimbo types from my experience.. no smile or customer service skills.
Click to expand...


The more I'm getting screwed over the less time and patience I'm having with the individuals im helping. 'I'm not a chef' and 'I'm not a therapist' are becoming phrases I'm using more often. And our manager grabbing like a mother fucker and taking advantage is showing in my work
 
slicky202 said:
The more I'm getting screwed over the less time and patience I'm having with the individuals im helping. 'I'm not a chef' and 'I'm not a therapist' are becoming phrases I'm using more often. And our manager grabbing like a mother fucker and taking advantage is showing in my work
Click to expand...
How does this affect your motor insurance, do you get recompense or is that covered in the mileage payment?
 
Private sector eh? The saviour of all our ills? More like the cause..
No doubt the usual suspects will throw in their casually snide comments, defending the indefensible.
 
A woman sued the company she works for yesterday and for sure it looks like they have to pay travel time. A law firm called Leigh Day is seeking other carers in same position to come forward.

It was calculated that when travel time was deducted from her rate she wasn't getting nothing near minimum wage...... no shit Shelock.
 
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