Unions say rising fuel prices are ‘crushing’ social care workers ‘who can’t afford to go to work’
- Unions say that rising fuel prices are forcing care workers out the industry
- Social care workers can make dozens of visits per day, requiring them to drive
- Many are now leaving for supermarket jobs to avoid the high cost of fuel
Rising fuel prices are ‘crushing’ social care workers with some finding they cannot afford to go to work, according to a trade union.
Care workers are also leaving jobs in the sector to work at supermarkets due to rising fuel costs according to John Mooney from Unison Scotland.
Speaking to BBC Radio Scotland, he said: ‘What you have is workers who have 20 visits per day in areas where they have no option but to use their car.
‘We have members approaching us and saying that they simply can’t afford to go to work.’
The union has previously called for increased fuel allowances for care workers following the sharp rise in fuel costs, but representatives say they were advised the issue was down to individual employers.
Care workers are also ditching cars in favour of walking, Mr Mooney has warned.
‘What we have is a situation where members are coming to us saying they have spoken to their employer about a schedule that covers walking only without them having to drive.’
He said that works in populated areas but is impossible in more rural areas where they have to use their care.
Social care workers are reportedly leaving for roles in supermarkets after rising fuel costs are making their job unaffordable (stock photo)
Expensive petrol means care workers in rural areas, who have to make up to 20 visits a day, are being priced out of the job
A poll of community nurses by NursingNotes earlier this year revealed the average community nurse or care worker was at the time spending between £150 and £300 a month on fuel and only being reimbursed around half of this.
One NHS Community Nurse spoke to the nursing website: ‘I use my own car for work and after 3,500 miles it’s literally costing me money to do my job.
‘I average around 10,000 miles a year. Fuel prices have been steadily increasing yet NHS bosses are not taking this into account and raising our mileage allowance in relation to this.
‘It’s yet another kick in the teeth.’
The GMB union has already called on the Government for an urgent review on the mileage allowance provisions to help alleviate this issue.
Last month Christina McAnea, general secretary of the public services union Unison, said some of her members were likely to strike in the coming months.
‘[Petrol price rises are] having a big impact on people with jobs that mean they have to travel. So community health workers, health visitors, care workers, social workers … are saying they just cannot afford to do their jobs any more.
‘We’re actually hearing of people who would rather phone in sick because they don’t have the money to fill up their cars and do their jobs. And more and more people are leaving public services, even in local government. There’s huge vacancies across local government.’
She said of the prospect of strike action: ‘We don’t want to bring low-paid workers out on strike. But if there’s no alternative, what else can people do?
Unison have said that social care workers may end up having to take industrial action
Mr Mooney warned that if action is not taken, the standards of social care will drop as more people are priced out of the profession.
‘If you’re driving people out of providing care because of the cost or you’re making them contemplate changing the schedule or the route that they take, then essentially the standard of care is always going to drop, it’s going to be the vulnerable that pay.
‘Members have come to us recently and said, ‘there’s a new supermarket opening up, the pay is more than what I’m getting paid’. That’s just one real-life example of people moving on to other areas because they just can’t afford to work in social care.’
Fiona, a self-employed carer from Dingwall, said she will struggle to keep her car on the road when energy bills increase again in October.
She said: ‘I’m a self-employed home carer who depends on my car to get to my clients and rural areas in Ross-shire and the rising cost of diesel is a big percentage of my income. And when the home energy bills come next winter, I am going to really struggle to keep a car on the road if there isn’t a cut to the price at the pumps.’
Scottish Labour health spokesperson Jackie Baillie branded the situation as ‘shocking’ and said the Scottish Government had failed to support care workers as fuel costs rise.
She said: ‘Social care workers are heroic frontline workers and should not be forced to shoulder the burden of the cost-of-living crisis.
‘The SNP government has completely failed to support these workers and Labour’s calling for a travel allowance for social care workers to be increased by five pence per mile, as agreed for NHS workers.
‘Without an allowance being introduced, we risk more staff leaving the profession and, consequently, lives being endangered.’
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