Nine out of ten carers can’t afford to take time of sick – survey shows

Forty per cent say they wouldn’t take time off sick even with covid, poll of UK’s biggest health provider shows

Nine out of ten care workers can’t afford to take time off sick, a survey has shown.

Forty per cent wouldn’t even take time off with covid, despite one in three catching the virus in 2023, the poll of HC-One carers reveals.

Meanwhile just one per cent get full company sick pay, according to the survey of almost 400 carers at the UK’s biggest care provider.

Almost all care workers are forced to rely on Statutory Sick Pay (SSP), which only kicks in after three days of sickness and is then just £109/week.

GMB has this week launched a ‘Sick of SSP’ campaign – aimed at stamping out the scourge of SSP in the care sector.

Natalie Grayson, GMB National Officer, said:

“Statutory Sick Pay literally kills people in the care sector.

“The Government finally realised this during covid when our care homes were turned into morgues – temporarily offering low-paid carers sick pay from day one.

“Now carers are once again forced to survive on poverty sick pay via SSP. It’s disgraceful, as well as a massive public health risk.

“Do we really want the most vulnerable people in society to be cared for by people forced to come in to work sick because they can’t afford not to?

“GMB is calling for all care providers to offer full sick pay from day one.”