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Original poster

How much to pay relative's carers now that relative has passed away?

104 replies

NoonarAgain · 04/01/2015 12:28

My granny died before Christmas. Thanks to a team of 4 great carers, she was able to stay in her own home until the end. She needed round the clock care at the end, and this obviously was not cheap.

Now that gran has passed away, how much should the carers be paid in lieu of notice? The main carers are of retirement age, and two were friends of extended family stepping in to help my gran out. as far as I know are not rushing to find alternative employment.

I want to be fair to them. There is no written contract, so we have to just do what feels right. They were paid cash weekly. We cannot afford a month's pay for all as that would amount to many thousands of pounds. I said to dh that I'd like to ask them what's they'd feel happy with, but dh says that puts them in a difficult position.

Any thoughts?

OP posts:
Ragwort · 04/01/2015 12:38

How much can you afford? Can you offer them the equivalent of two week's wages? If not, a week's cash would be 'fair-ish' if you paid them weekly.

Don't ask them what they'd be happy with, that puts them in an incredibly awkward position.

atticusclaw · 04/01/2015 12:41

Were they actually employees of your gran? How long had they been her carers?

SkiDilemma · 04/01/2015 12:44

Ragwort, the costs were about £2000 per week, so a fortnight would amount to double that.

I think that I have to work out what would be a fair arrangement morally and in terms of legal commitment to them. Then I'll have to consider it a debt of my gran's that needs paying through probable. I think they'll probably have to write an invoice or something, as I don't have the right to pay out myself from gran's money ( I'm executor).

Original poster
NoonarAgain · 04/01/2015 12:45

Sorry - I am ski dilemma too. Sorry for name change error! Yes they were gran's employees.

OP posts:
Original poster
NoonarAgain · 04/01/2015 12:48

Two of them worked for her for about 6 -9 months and the other worked for gran for 20 years in a different capacity, so she will obviously have a separate arrangement.

OP posts:
Original poster
NoonarAgain · 04/01/2015 13:00

Also, it was only during the last 5 weeks of her life that the care needs were at this high level. Should I try to calculate the average pay over the duration of their time as carers? This seems more fair, in a way.

OP posts:
Lonecatwithkitten · 04/01/2015 13:27

Do they have contracts? If they do what do the contracts say about the notice period?

Original poster
NoonarAgain · 04/01/2015 13:29

No contracts.

OP posts:
flowery · 04/01/2015 13:51

Sorry for your loss.

The two with short service are entitled to a weeks notice plus accrued holiday pay.

The one with 20 years service is entitled to 12 weeks notice, accrued holiday and statutory redundancy pay as calculated here.

Original poster
NoonarAgain · 04/01/2015 13:58

The thing is, the person with 20 years service used to do 2-3 hours per week to help with chores. This increased during the last year. Its hard to know what rate to calculate this at.

OP posts:
christmaspies · 04/01/2015 14:04

If you are applying for probate, it suggests that your grandmother has some money. Did she own her own house and will it be sold? Any wages due should be part of the probate application (I am not an expert on this) and if employed by your grandmother you don't really have to pay the carers anything out of your own pocket.

flowery · 04/01/2015 14:07

It's not hard to know what rate to calculate it at. If you look at the link, it's clear that redundancy pay is calculated on current pay. Notice pay and holiday are obviously the same.

Original poster
NoonarAgain · 04/01/2015 14:09

Yes Christmas, there is an estate and gran will pay from that. It's still up to me to calculate the rate in a fair way. I suppose I was thinking id need to pay this in advance on her behalf, hence my reference to affording it myself.

OP posts:
Original poster
NoonarAgain · 04/01/2015 14:11

But flowery, if someone earns £20 per week cash in hand and then suddenly in last 6 months pay rockets to £1000 a week, I would say it actually is pretty hard to calculate! ( fairly)

OP posts:
christmaspies · 04/01/2015 14:15

You won't need to pay in advance of probate. People know they have to wait. However you could pay them something ut of your own pocket in the meantime. Why don't you ask them to submit an invoice for what they are owned and see what they submit?

Original poster
NoonarAgain · 04/01/2015 14:15

Good idea, Christmas.

OP posts:
flowery · 04/01/2015 14:18

"But flowery, if someone earns £20 per week cash in hand and then suddenly in last 6 months pay rockets to £1000 a week, I would say it actually is pretty hard to calculate! ( fairly)"
Confused

It's not hard to calculate. I linked to a calculator for you. Just input the figures and details.

It's not about you deciding what you think is fair; redundancy pay and notice pay are statutory entitlements.

flowery · 04/01/2015 14:19

No, don't ask them to submit an invoice Hmm

You pay them what they are owed, either now or after probate, and ensure they get a payslip.

ClashCityRocker · 04/01/2015 14:23

If they are invoicing, presumably they are self employed, so statutory redundancy pay is a moot point?

ClashCityRocker · 04/01/2015 14:24

But flowery, that is only if they are employees, I think.

And employed by the deceased, rather than through an agency.

flowery · 04/01/2015 14:25

The OP stated that they were employees.

InfinitySeven · 04/01/2015 14:28

There has been no indication that the carers are self employed in this thread.

OP - Flowery has given you the legal minimums.

ClashCityRocker · 04/01/2015 14:29

Did she? Or was she just using it as in 'gran paid them xyz a week' and they completed their own self assessment returns type setup, so self employed.

It's an important distinction - was the deceased the registered employer with hmrc?

ClashCityRocker · 04/01/2015 14:32

But yes, if employed, redundancy would be based on the final twelve weeks salary - so potentially quite a chunk.

flowery · 04/01/2015 14:47

She said "they were gran's employees". I believed her.