To think colleagues are absolutely taking advantage

[Breakfastbaguette]

Work in a residential home, depending on my shift length I either have 30 minutes or an hour unpaid break taken from my wages but I have never, ever received this break. Honestly probably twice in nearly 5 months.
All staff take their break at the same time which is wrong. I don't understand why they can't say, right Sarah, your break is 12:30 to 1, Amanda your break is 1:30 to 2, and so on.
If you're working a 40 hour week, you're paid for 35 but likely working closer to 38/39. We're paid hourly too which I think makes a difference.
A large proportion of our staff smoke. I don't and so tend to stay inside. I will be on shift with 3 other staff and they'll say 'Baguette, we're just going out for a smoke.' that's fine, but that leaves me on the floor on my own.

Yesterday they must have been out for 8 cigs over the course of an 8 hour shift. This combined with sitting down to eat their lunch.

We had a meeting a couple of months ago where the manager said breaks needed to be allocated, yet this hasn't been enforced at all.

It's just really not fair, I might get the odd 5 mins here and there but with the way care homes are anything can happen, especially as I'm the shift leader. Buzzers going off, someone asks for a drink, needs the toilet etc

I really need to speak to the manager but it's such a gossipy, two faced environment.
I'm honestly thinking of looking for another care home but I'm worried it'll be the same everywhere.

I know I'm being massively taken advantage of but it's also my fault. I just want to know if other homes actually give you your allocated break

Who is looking after residents when all the staff are on breaks/outside smoking? The management need to enforce staggered breaks, and limit smoking to designated break times only in order to ensure the residents are properly looked after.
You should consider leaving and tell them this is why. Not how unfair the breaks are, but the poor standard of care due to poor management of staff breaks.

if you have to eat with the residents it's not a break.
I hardly dare ask, but are you in a union?
If not join one now.

Toss it back to management: they aren't exactly keeping to employment law, i suspect and this may give them NMW problems.
And it's a safety problem if staff can just push off on a smoke break willy nilly.

You must stand up for yourself. Sure, your colleagues are taking the piss: management are at fault for allowing it to persist.

I worked for a well known private chain. It was quite a few years ago. But yes ime there was a culture whereby staff were not treated fairly because management were awful. Supervisors chosen exacerbated the problem. Get out of care would be my advice. Some did the work whilst others smoked out the back. Some given easier jobs whilst others given heavier physical work or the more aggressive residents, repeatedly. Nurses who lacked any resemblance of empathy or care. Some bullied the staff. For some of the staff if they can manipulate others to do a job instead of them, they will. Then there were those who pretend to be working, claiming cupboards needed tidying up whilst people needed changing. I don't think you can mend it single handedly. Hospital work is better ime.