To expect the UK's 1 million unemployed to get a job as a Care Worker?

[SquireOfGreenway]

The number of people unemployed in the UK is just over 1 million - the lowest it's been since the early 1970s. However, we should still surely expect that figure to be even lower.

From next year, it may be much harder for care-providing organisations to recruit European migrants to fill their Care Worker vacancies.

Surely, it is reasonable to expect any UK resident who is unemployed, claiming job-seekers allowance and so far unable to get a job to be required to get a job as a Care Worker? If they don't then they should be sanctioned and lose their state benefits.

I am not just talking about Care Work. I am talking about all minimum-wage and minimum-wage plus jobs that we have been relying on European migrants to fill.

Why not? There will always be maybe a few 100,000s unemployed, as people move from one job to another, etc. But why should there be a million unemployed people if there is a shortage of workers in any industry that does not require any great level of pre-entry qualifications?

Ignore my last sentence, makes no sense!

The trouble is, it all looks lovely on paper doesn’t it? You take those lazy scrounges from those channel 5 documentaries and get them stacking shelves. Brilliant, job done.

Except those charming people on the documentaries are actually few and far between (and are probably edited to look even worse for entertainment anyway). Most have DC or mental health issues that make it difficult to find work.

Most of the options mentioned here are unreliable shift work that gives people zero hours contracts with no employment rights. So you’d need to abolish zero hours contracts (brilliant!)... but what about childcare? Increase funded hours? Make nurseries increase their opening hours to cover shift work and force them to be flexible for Rota adjustments?

But nurseries are struggling with the shit government “funding contribution” as it is. They can barely afford to pay staff and many have already closed under the burden. So you get more unemployed people looking for work; but now with less childcare options.

Genius!
Just what i want for relatives who are vulnerable, someone forced into a job doing personal care to the infirm sometimes alone in thier own home, that they dont have the talent nor the attitude for. Thats not asking for trouble at all!!
Many of the jobs mentioned actually need someone with a specific skill set/attitude not any random would be able to do.

As someone who recently moved jobs on the promise of x hrs and overtime but who has had one shift all last week maybe the gov needs to ensure the 'employed' are actually employed properly with a living wage too? Job hunting again i cant live on what i am earning and unless i get more hours going forward i wouldnt qualify for tax credits any more. Who is going to pay my bills? My employers are bragging about how much they have 'saved' in wages in the last month and how much extra £ they have made.😠

Wow just wow. I am a care worker and this job is not an "easy" job. Not is it "unskilled". Not everybody is suited to this job and it takes a hell of a lot out of you. Maybe you should come and work as a carer for a day or week just to see how wrong you are. If we followed your idea I dread to think what would happen to all our wonder clients. 🤦🤦🤦

I work in residential care, the money isn't great and the hours horrendous. I do it because I enjoy my job and want to make a difference in my residence lives. It can be incredibly challenging and it's not for everyone.
If people were forced into working as careers there would be a lot of resentment that would be targeted at the most vulnerable people in out society

ChardonnaysDistantCousin

. 2 - would you do such a manual and emotionally draining job for minimum wage

What do you think people who are doing it now are paid?

would you do such a manual and emotionally draining job for minimum wage

Flabbergasted at comments like this though. This is exactly the attitude that brings about the benefits bashing.

My point was would the op do it for minimum wage, it should be better paid. If I was unemployed I would go in a supermarket over a care home for the same money. It’s totally undervalued and not a job for everyone.

So are the care workers who come from outside of the UK really dedicated care workers or just people who want a job, any job in the UK that is higher paid than they would get in their home country.

I wouldn't want to be cared for by someone forced into it and probably completely unsuitable.

Noticing the OP hasn’t returned ... I’ll answer anyway

OP you are ignoring two things - the nature of care work and the many skills required plus the many complex reasons some people are long term unemployed

Just because a job is low paid doesn’t mean it’s not difficult and requiring staff with a specific skill set

Just because some one is claiming the job seeking elements of UC doesn’t mean they are ready for full time work with vulnerable people

Oh. Are there a million care jobs being advertised, or....?

YABU.

As a care worker I can say that we really don't need more shit workers who aren't interested in actually helping people and shift work doesn't work for everyone.

Infact my main job is cleaning the service I work in but I have been there longer as a member of the relief pool working evenings and weekends as there aren't many childcare options here. If DH didn't work weekdays only I'd have to give it up.

It's really not a one size fits all solution.

So are the care workers who come from outside of the UK really dedicated care workers I can't generalise but when my mother was in a care home with dementia her favourite carers where the women from Lithuania who were very kind to her.

YABU to suggest that care work posts should be done by any unemployed person who is claiming. I think the job should be on the same level as jobs like nursing, teaching, police. So proper salary, pension etc. rather than minimum wage.

YANBU to suggest that unemployed people should not do unskilled jobs if they are available. Low wages do get topped up by UC.

I find it bizarre on MN that people are happy to go and work and support people who don't want to work. I don't earn a huge salary and probably get less per month than some people on UC. I don't think it's right that some people expect things to be paid for with no effort on their part. This obviously excludes people who are genuinely unable to support themselves. That is why we have benefits in place and I agree those who are most in need should get support when they need it. If someone getting say £1200 a month in benefits had to do say 2 hours a day volunteering they would be getting £300/week for 10 hours work - not bad rate really.

I usually read the full thread but this has annoyed me so much after just page 2.
You are VERY unreasonable.
You picked the worst job possible, as far as i'm concerned care workers do not get paid enough, I lasted 1 week in a care home. Its hard, its physically and emotionally draining.

Yes, people who are unemployed and able to work should do something, if nothing else to maintain a routine - but these need to be roles genuinely suited to their needs. Not one solution will work for all.

With the changes in employment I hope care homes find a way to pay staff more, without increasing costs to those in care. This should be a sector where the is no profit made, and not some 'not for profit' organisation where directors are on a huge amount and staff minimum wage, genuinely a sector run not for profit so people in care get the respect and support they need and the staff are recognised for their amazing contribution

No thanks. Care workers need to be competent, reliable and actually want to do the job. I also don't think they get paid enough, hence the high turnover of staff and the difficulties recruiting decent staff in the first place. Why on earth would you want people who don't want to do that job or are not capable of doing so, to care for our vulnerable people in society?

CaptainMyCaptain. Thats good to hear, maybe if care work was paid at the £25K rate that the government suggests for skilled workers which would not be an unreasonable rate of pay then more good carers like that could work here.

I spent some time in Belarus last year - officially the unemployment rate there is less than 1%, because those who register as employed have to participate in obligatory public works schemes. Sounds like a good idea in principle, until you see the 70 year olds forced to shovel snow off the pavements in -15C degree weather.

YABU.
Unless you are on a wind up then I don't think you've thought this through.
I wouldn't want people being forced to be carers. Who knows what sort of harm could happen to vulnerable people.

@converseandjeans I find it bizarre that you make the assumption that people on benefits don't want to work. The vast overwhelming majority do. It's rare that someone on benefits doesn't want to work.

Why do people automatically assume most people on benefits don't want to work?

Surprise surprise op has vanished.

I came on to say you’re being unreasonable and ridiculous, but the previous 147 people beat me to it

withering surely it’s possible employ that principle in a more workable and compassionate way though. An idea doesn’t always have to be taken to the extreme to be useful and productive.

It’s always the same with these things. You try to suggest that a single mother with four kids who is entirely dependent on benefits and whining that her two bed house is too small probably shouldn’t have a fifth child and suddenly you are worse than the Chinese wanting to sterilise people after one child and have state enforced sterilisation for the poor.

Using NHS pay bands a care assistant is paid around £18k where an experienced nurse is paid nearly double that (have to think about employers costs too). Care home residents pay about £1000 per week if self funding and local authorities pay much less (are places subsidised by self funders?). If care home workers are to be of nurse level then fees will have to rise substantially.
I couldn't do the job no matter what the pay is - I haven't the patience.

If anything carers should be getting paid more, vetted better, respected more and maybe it might weed out the people who don’t belong in that role.

None of that will happen any time soon of course, but the last thing vulnerable people in care need is being “looked after” by people who don’t really give a shit about them. Or worse.