Fuel costs for NHS community worker

[flakynails]

I just wondered if any other NHS community workers were feeling the pinch with the current fuel costs. I work in a community setting and travel many miles per week carrying out home visits and my fuel costs are just horrendous. I get the paltry 56p per mile but it does not cover the costs or wear and tear etc.

I just wanted a moan really and to see if anyone else is in the same situation.

I'm in the same situation..I don't suspect they will change the allowance though..I'm trying to plan my patient visits as best I can to avoid excess travel but thsts not always possible!

Yes I am trying to plan my visits too but I deal with patients who can become acutely unwell with no warning so I can't always factor in the optimum vista on days I'm in the set area. It feels like all costs are rising and there are few ways to cut back at all.

I had thought this initially, then I saw an article that said for the majority of people, Petrol would need to rise to more than £3.50 per L in order for it to mean we make a loss. Then I did the maths and realised that yes actually, it still does cover my costs when I add everything up annually.

Might be worth sitting down and doing the maths to reassure yourself, but for the majority of cars you'll be fine

www.thisismoney.co.uk/money/cars/article-10594925/amp/Will-45p-mile-allowance-cover-work-petrol-costs.html

The problem when you work in the NHS is you lose touch with what the reset of us get paid .
MANY MANY people don't even get half that per mile .
Unless your running a hummer it will cover the cost

For example, OP.

My usage is 3500 miles @ 56p
4500 miles @ 20p. So total I claim in a year is £2860, for 8000 miles.

My car does 44 MPG (looked online to find this as I actually had no idea!). So my total fuel cost for 8000 miles is £1303.

So I still have £1500 a year for wear and tear/insurance etc, which is definitely covered.

I think the UK average is only 45p per mile, so we are lucky in the NHS that we start at 56p.

I worked in community support (not a personal care role), and I was paid 45p per mile. Some days I would cover over100 miles as the organization I worked for were the only people in the entire county that offered the kind of support we were giving. I'm so glad I no longer do that job as my petrol allowance would barely touch the sides now.

Adult care social work....they don't want to pay us mileage for visits at all...would prefer us to bus or book pool car but got to travel to pool car area and red tape booking system. Fine, a 2 hour visit will take me all day then.

I get 30p a mile!

I think you’re pretty lucky, 56p a mile is very generous.

Paltry? I get 45p!

Depends what rate you’re entitled to in the NHS, it’s only 20 something pence for some journeys and over a certain amount of miles. I don’t believe the lower rate covers costs. Depending on your contract you may be able to use public transport or get a pool/ company car with fuel card. Obviously those options are often much more expensive for employer so not encouraged but I don’t think they can insist on you running your own car if you can’t afford to.

That seems very generous. £56 for a hundred miles. £60-£65 fills my small car and I get over 450 miles out of that. You are quids in!

@Itwasnotmeormydog

That seems very generous. £56 for a hundred miles. £60-£65 fills my small car and I get over 450 miles out of that. You are quids in!

Tyres More frequent servicing Business insurance

It isnt just about petrol.

It also drops to 10p a mile with HMRC after 10,000 miles- so paying to drive at work. (45p before)

A study was done on this a few days ago - the 56p a mile that the government sets is more than enough to cover fuel and wear and tear even at the current fuel level - I believe it would have to hit £3.50 per litre before it became uneconomical to run a car

(I get 12p a mile by the way)

Another one on 45p a mile here.

@Itwasnotmeormydog

That seems very generous. £56 for a hundred miles. £60-£65 fills my small car and I get over 450 miles out of that. You are quids in!

That’s about 60 mpg! Not many cars do that mileage and I’m guessing none do that when they’re doing short start stop journeys around clients. 30mpg would be more like it.