Carers and organisations have called on the UK Government to provide greater financial support to carers on the frontline of the coronavirus outbreak, or they risk the sector failing and the NHS being unable to cope.
Many care workers are currently on short term or flexible contracts, meaning if they take sick leave because they, or somebody in their household, have symptoms of coronavirus, they can only access Statutory Sick Pay (SSP) which is £95.85 a week.
With many in the sector on the hourly national minimum wage rate of £8.72, dropping to SSP would see a fulltime carer’s weekly wage drop by over £200, from around £312 to £95.85.
That drop in income is leading to many carers becoming anxious and having to choose between the wellbeing of their patients and still being able to earn enough money to pay bills and buy food.
One carer, who wishes to remain anonymous, told Caerphilly Observer that a number of her colleagues have had to take SSP and are struggling to cope.
She said: “We are frontline staff, yet if we go off sick with coronavirus symptoms, we take a massive cut in pay. Taking 14 days off work makes a huge difference to how much money we bring home to put bread on the table.
“We do feel appreciated by the public, but that is not felt financially. If I have to take time off, I am going to be really concerned about where the money is going to come from.
“This leads to a lot of anxiety; we just don’t know what tomorrow will bring.”
The Careworkers’ Charity, who support members of the care sector and fundraise to support those in financial difficulty, estimate that around 25% of the UK’s care workforce are currently off work.
They say social care is in crisis, with sick pay, testing and the availability of personal protective equipment putting staff and patients at risk.
Executive Director of the charity, Karolina Gerlich, told Caerphily Observer: “Careworkers are in a hopeless position. If social care collapses, the NHS won’t be able to cope.
“For carers, even losing a week of pay could plunge them into dept as they can’t pay their bills.
“We have raised £140,000 so far for care workers. This is nowhere near the level of support needed, and we have had so many applications for funding that that money has nearly dried up.
“Without adequate personal protective equipment and testing for coronavirus, we are essentially asking them to self-isolate without sufficient pay and leave their patients and clients in need.
“Social carers are experiencing awfully low morale and they feel undervalued. The public needs to rally behind social care as it is for the NHS. The government must financially support social carers now.”
Wayne David, MP for Caerphilly, told Caerphilly Observer: “With many people sick because of Covid-19 the Government must increase the amount of Statutory Sick Pay.
“I am writing to the Chancellor asking that this be increased drastically for the time that we are experiencing the Covid-19 crisis.
“This is particularly important for front line workers who cannot run the risk of working with vulnerable people who are at high risk if they are feeling unwell.
“The rate for SSP has risen from £94.95 to £95.85 but this really is a derisory increase.”
The UK Government has been approached for comment.