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Carers

Caring for elderly relatives? Supercarers can help

Original poster

Carers' salaries

55 replies

Blueberrycreampie · 18/10/2022 15:02

We have employed carers for over 10 years now on a full time live in basis, for both my fil and now mil. Originally it was through an agency but after a few years we negotiated and employed them ourselves. One of the original carers is still with us and works 3 weeks on and 3 weeks off.

We have had a number of carers filling in for Susan (not her real name), and they have lasted from 3 weeks to 2 years. Although MIL is very elderly and incapacitated, she is still in reasonable health so this could go on for years? In that time, carers' wages have doubled and some carers are asking ridiculous amounts of money (IMO). MIL's savings are running out and she will not consider selling her large house to free up money.

Is anyone else in this situation and finding that carers are demanding a lot of money for the job they actually do. It works out about £50,000 a year!

OP posts:
Ihatethenewlook · 18/10/2022 15:05

Where on earth are you living that the carers wages have doubled? I’ve always earned either minimum wage or just above? It’s very well known for being one of the most poorly paid jobs. If you’re advertising and hiring privately it shouldn’t be costing you much?

HappyHamsters · 18/10/2022 15:05

What is their hourly rate.

Gazelda · 18/10/2022 15:05

What hourly rate are you paying?

Original poster
Blueberrycreampie · 18/10/2022 15:30

South East. Not hourly, this is a live-in position and some are demanding £140 per day! I know part time carers wages are woeful!

OP posts:
thesandwich · 18/10/2022 15:31

Does mil have attendance allowance?

TerfQueen · 18/10/2022 15:32

£140 per day for 24 hours is £5.80 an hour…

Sindonym · 18/10/2022 15:35

That’s not a lot on an hourly rate. People supporting my son (not SE) get more than that by some distance for a 24 hour shift and I don’t think they get paid enough.

Sindonym · 18/10/2022 15:39

For 24 hour shifts there is usually a sleep in allowance (not an hourly rate) and an hourly rate for about 15 hours of the day (plus any hours you have to provide care during the sleep in part). The sleep in part can vary a lot - I think my son’s company are quite generous compared to some.

Original poster
Blueberrycreampie · 18/10/2022 15:40

How much should a full time carer be paid? They're not actually working between 8 pm and say, 9.am. All food is provided and they can take breaks during the day.

OP posts:
DenholmElliot1 · 18/10/2022 15:43

It's about £1000 a week for live in care. Self employed.

In fact, there's never been a better time to be a self employed carer.

I earn £20 an hour doing hourly care and work 50 hours a week which also equates to £50k a year.

It's about fucking time we were well paid.

TerfQueen · 18/10/2022 15:43

But I presume they are there should they be needed? Clearly there’s a reason you need SOMEONE to be with your parents over night, which is a service that deserves to be paid for. They are away from their home, their own families and providing a security to net so that your parents have round the clock care. This is why care work is so hard and is under a lot of pressure, people expect to pay them pittance. You could always move in with them yourself

TerfQueen · 18/10/2022 15:45

DenholmElliot1 · 18/10/2022 15:43

It's about £1000 a week for live in care. Self employed.

In fact, there's never been a better time to be a self employed carer.

I earn £20 an hour doing hourly care and work 50 hours a week which also equates to £50k a year.

It's about fucking time we were well paid.

“It’s about fucking time we were well paid”

here here! Not a carer myself but I absolutely support them being paid well! It’s a generally tough job and totally under appreciated.

Sirzy · 18/10/2022 15:52

Presumably though if they are living in they are on call 24/7 though?

HappyHamsters · 18/10/2022 16:00

So they are working 12 hrs a day and are they then oncall overnight, 3 weeks on, does that include any days off, holiday pay, its about £12 an hour for the waking shift. Do they get free accommodation meals, travel expenses. How many hours are they actually being expected to work/be on call each day. £140 seems pretty cheap to me.

Whistlesandbell · 18/10/2022 16:04

It sounds about right, I’ve always found it a similar price to a care home which is about 70k per year.

HappyHamsters · 18/10/2022 16:04

My gardener charges £40 an hour to tidy up and mow the lawn. Your mum needs to apply for attendance allowance, free up some money and does WTD allow someone to work 3 weeks with no day off.

Thrownunderabus · 18/10/2022 16:07

Blueberrycreampie · 18/10/2022 15:30

South East. Not hourly, this is a live-in position and some are demanding £140 per day! I know part time carers wages are woeful!

‘Demanding’
JFC.
It’s a bloody tough job, despite the perks of being able to….
they can take breaks during the day
Hmm

Honestly, these people are not paid enough.

NellesVilla · 18/10/2022 16:08

Are you joking, OP? These carers are human beings you know, and even if they are ‘only working 9-6’ or whatever, if they are live in they are on cal for the rest of the time, no?

For context , I worked as a live-in for a while for a friend for £700-750 a week in 2018 for a friend (mates’ rates), then start of 2021 for £215 a day.

Methinks you’ve had a bargain for too long and reality is now setting in!

NellesVilla · 18/10/2022 16:08
  • call, not cal
Solosunrise · 18/10/2022 16:12

I work for an agency and get £95 for a 9 hour 'sleep in' shift and £120 to be awake all night.

Solosunrise · 18/10/2022 16:14

How much would you like to be paying OP?

I'm hoping this is reverse

40andfit · 18/10/2022 16:18

Blueberrycreampie · 18/10/2022 15:30

South East. Not hourly, this is a live-in position and some are demanding £140 per day! I know part time carers wages are woeful!

For 24 hour day? So £5.80 an hour?

crosstalk · 18/10/2022 16:21

If you do it through an agency like Country Cousins for live in care it is not round the clock. There are agreed overnight hours so if you have someone who likes to watch tv and still be around after 2100 but still wants to get up at 0730 adjustments have to be made. Night time calls for meds/toiletting are extra. And carers are given a 2 hour break during the day which needs to be covered by someone else. On top of which two trained people are needed for hoists or recovering someone who has fallen, more if they are overweight, and any carer needs to be trained to get a fragile person out of a chair.

If it is genuinely 24/7 care because of medical needs or because the person has dementia, then it needs to be shifts of 3.

kitcat15 · 18/10/2022 16:22

Yep that sounds a fair wage OP

C8H10N4O2 · 18/10/2022 16:22

Blueberrycreampie · 18/10/2022 15:40

How much should a full time carer be paid? They're not actually working between 8 pm and say, 9.am. All food is provided and they can take breaks during the day.

So who covers the night shift? Does a second carer come in?

Who covers them whilst they take breaks during the day?

What are the actual working hours in the contract?