Not going back to work after hols (3 weeks), resign before or after???

[Ripeberry]

Can anyone help me? I've decided that i'm not going back to work after my holidays.
I'm on Zero hour "contract" and do Bank work for a Private Home Care firm.
Spoken to a trusted colleague and she said it would be fair to give 1 week's notice as technically i could just ring them up and say that i'm not available ever again!
My DH says i should send the resignation letter after my last day of work, that way they have 3 weeks to change their rota's and factor me out.
I'm not sure if it may be best to send letter when i get back but then they will have to reschedule loads of work.
What do you think?
AB

What do you lose by being helpful and giving them more notice?

Yes i would like to give them more notice, its just that i will feel a bit sly, basically saying thanks for the holiday pay and by the way, i'm not coming back.
But they do this kind of thing to me all the time, especially with training days, they are all day and they only give me 2 days notice.
Not going to the last one as there is no point, there is no way i can sort out any childcare in that time.
AB

You are entitled to your holiday pay by law. They may have a case for trying to claw some back if you have used some that was dragged from future allowance. But if you warn them now it will allow them time to re-shedule the rota's, but, if you are feeling so bad about them there is nothing to stop you dropping them in it.
The only people you would be dropping in it are your work colleagues. They will just ask another 'bank' worker to do the hours and she may be grateful for the extra hours.

Yes, that's what i was thinking, as at the moment i can be out on the road each night for 3hrs or more but only have 2hrs work paid for!
And regularly once a week i don't get any work anyway.
Saturdays can be the worse as i'm sitting around for almost 2hrs, but they still want me out there to start at 6.30am.
Lots of clients "stick" to their times.
The hols are from 13th Feb until 6Th March, so i think i'll date the letter from that day 13thFeb and mention that the holiday time is my notice period, OR is that not the way to do it?
I've never resigned before, so am getting all confused about notice dates and notice periods....Help!
AB

Nope use your holiday as the notice period. Its how a lot of people do it. Make sure you get your holiday pay sorted out though, if you have ever had any problems with pay I would leave it till last minute though as you may not get the pay, some employers still think they can retaliate in that way.
You can then use the holiday period looking for a different job or chilling knowing you arn't going back.
BTW 3 hours on the road and not paid for it? that is not on.

Thank you Discoverlife, It's much clearer now.
I've noticed on your profile that you are a carer and i've got lots of admiration for you and the other carers that i've met.
I wont miss the actual firm but even now i've all chocked up thinking about leaving all our lovely clients.
Just hope that once i find a good firm then i'll find lovely people to care for again.
I'm going to spend my spare time doing gardening work for Age Concern, that's what i used to do.
Thanks again.
AB

Could you start up you own personal service with clients that are on your doorstep? I have no idea if it's feasible concerning regulations or not, but I think from what you said it wasn't the work it was the unpaid travelling that did you in.

Thanks for mentioning my profile, I just checked it and adjusted a few things.