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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

To feel undervalued and under paid

60 replies

serc · 23/05/2022 21:23

I've worked in care homes for many years, my current hourly rate is £9.50 per hour.

My son is 18 and is about to leave school he has got a job in a factory assembling parts. To bridge the gap between school and uni. It's his first job so has no experience. His starting rate is £11.25!

AIBU to feel seriously undervalued and under paid?

OP posts:
Runorsleep · 24/05/2022 12:54

I agree with a pp , look into working for yourself for private clients

butimjayigetaway · 24/05/2022 14:12

Care is one of the lowest paid jobs, and the most needed. It's disgusting that they are paid so low. You are being underpaid, you can hardly even survive on such a wage.

I did this work and wanted to continue but just couldn't commit to a life on such a wage.

butimjayigetaway · 24/05/2022 14:16

serc · 23/05/2022 21:59

Why do you think Carers get paid so poorly? I don't understand the reason. We have to undertake training, there's a huge amount of responsibility and we work extremely hard and we actually still care and go above and beyond for the people in our care. I actually see it as a privilege at times to care for people when they are so vulnerable. Respecting their wishes and keeping their dignity. Not everyone gets to do that for their loved ones, some people have nobody and we are there for them, we don't discriminate. But it feels like carers are seen as the lowest workers.

Where I work residents rooms start at £1200 a week! I know the cost of living has gone up etc but they hardly live expensive lifestyles.

Because a significant portion of the population need to be forced into debt to keep our money system functioning.

Original poster
serc · 24/05/2022 14:18

CooooCoooo · 24/05/2022 12:34

So leave and do the same job as your son then? Alternatively, take action - join a union and go on strike.

You could go self employed and become a private carer? Going self employed was the best thing I ever did. I spent 4 years teaching myself a pretty easy skill anyone can learn. I get paid £80-£100 per hour meaning I only have to work two 10 hour days per month to pay my bills. I don't have a single GCSE to my name or any other formal qualifications. I'm always encouraging my friends and family to go self employed and start their own businesses - there really is nothing stopping anyone from doing the same as me.

What job do you do?

OP posts:
Sugarplumfairy65 · 24/05/2022 14:22

DaisyStPatience · 23/05/2022 22:59

Well, it is unskilled labour, notwithstanding the fact that it's an undesirable role for most people.

It isn't unskilled labour

NellWilsonsWhiteHair · 24/05/2022 14:28

OversBo · 23/05/2022 21:55

Carers (and nursery workers) deserve better pay, but a majority of customers can’t afford more than they already pay. There needs to be something to break the deadlock. Probably the state needs to intervene with subsidies. My child’s nursery is already a charity, no shareholders are making a profit, costs are are low as they can make them, and they are fighting to turn over enough to stay open.

I would say state (well, LA) direct provision of these services, rather than subsidy. I understand much more about early years than about care homes, but staff in LA early years settings (nursery schools, children's centres etc) have much better pay and other working conditions than in private settings, at least in London, and from a 'customer' perspective typically provide higher quality education/childcare too. Subsidising non-profit organisations could work (I can think of a couple of excellent charity-run nurseries) but certainly the state subsidising private sector nurseries feels like the same sort of propping up profits that housing benefit and WTC have enabled, without offering the same upsides.

As a general point re: the OP, it is awful that such important jobs are paid so badly. Good carers are worth their weight in gold and do a difficult job not all of us could manage. You deserve much more.

THisbackwithavengeance · 24/05/2022 15:43

Topgub · 23/05/2022 22:06

Yanbu.

We're facing (are actually in already tbh) a crisis in care both private and NHS.

We have an elderly population that we don't have the staff to care for.

We have a general public who think they deserve gold standard care but who also don't want to (or cant) pay for it and who begrudge nhs staff a 10% discount on their shopping never mind an actual appropriate wage

I don't think the general public begrudge decent wages to carers, nurses etc. a poster earlier said that a care home resident is charged £1200 per week for a room which is pretty standard from what I can see. That money is going somewhere as it's not going on staff wages or improved services.

But I hear you OP. Im a civil servant in a skilled and difficult profession and would probably earn more these days working in Lidl. I stay only for the pension (5 years and counting...).

OversBo · 24/05/2022 23:14

Good call @NellWilsonsWhiteHair I don’t know a lot about the sector so that’s useful to know.

glitterwobbles · 24/05/2022 23:48

You are doing a skilled and highly important job. It makes me want to cry thinking about the wages of carers.
The country needs carers and needs not to take advantage of their kindness and commitment.
This comes from my heart as a daughter whose Mum had carers who made her last months meaningful.
I am also a nurse who would not be without my amazing carer colleagues.

JaceLancs · 24/05/2022 23:58

I would seriously consider being a self employed home carer
where I live the local authority charge those who need care at £18 an hour
I have a friend who does dementia care charging £16 an hour with a waiting list for relatives who need respite
DB and I pay DD £15 an hour to help our DM with personal care, shopping and cleaning

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