Unpaid hours of carers

[MugginsOverEre]

In January I got a job as a care assistant in a private nursing home two days a week 7am-7pm. (part time)
It's £1 over national minimum wage and is back breaking, constant work and even though breaks are unpaid, we don't always get them on day shifts, especially not in full. I always work over my agreed clocked hours from anything from 15 minutes to an hour, sometimes more. We also have to clock in 20 minutes before our official shift time (and be in uniform that we pay for, taking notes in the morning meeting) Wages are docked if you don't come in and start work 20 minutes before your shift. We have to do at least 50 hours of unpaid training (so far this year) in our own time, pay for certification, accreditations, organisation memberships and now we're being told that the compulsory covid testing provided by work needs to be done and registered online at home, before our shifts too. Is this the norm for this type of work? Hourly paid workers being asked to do so much outside of paid hours? How much is taking the piss? The salaried, highly paid manager doesn't think it should be an issue at all because he often works when he's not in the building too.

Contact ACAS, pretty much all of what you just said is unenforceable under employment law.

I spent many years working full time days or nights in care, whilst a student. I did waking nights at one nursing home, we were expected to be there 15 minutes before shift for handover, this was unpaid but not docked if late. I don't think they can legally dock your wages. All breaks were unpaid, which you didn't always get, seems to be the nature of the game for care work even though it's a legal requirement. All training was paid for by all 3 companies I worked for and we were paid for the time we were on the course. DBS was covered by the employee. Working over your shift by 15 minutes is quite normal in most healthcare roles. But any longer than that and they should be paying you for your time.

It's unusual as a care assistant you are required to have accreditations or organisation membership though. That's not industry standard for this type of role.

The things you describe are quite common in care but on the more 'extreme' side. Personally I'd look for another job. Have you done home care before? I found it preferable to working in a care/nursing home setting.

I'd be looking for another job. They cant legally enforce most of what you have said.