Charity launches £1m coronavirus hardship appeal for care staff
Forced into self-isolation due to Covid-19, UK care workers are in dire straits, grappling with debt and hunger. Karolina Gerlich, executive director of the Care Workers’ Charity, said she had heard from a number of care workers who were struggling.
“Many care workers live pay cheque to pay cheque,” she said. “Many were already on the poverty line before the virus situation. We are hearing of people going hungry.
“Care workers are terrified. There is pressure from every possible angle. People are scared and are being put in the position of having to decide whether they go to work thinking they may have the virus, otherwise their children will go hungry. They are in an impossible situation.”
The Care Workers’ Charity announced on Thursday it is launching a £1m emergency appeal to support care workers during the coronavirus crisis. It aims to raise enough to give £500 grants to 2,000 individuals.
A number of care workers have gone into self-isolation for 12 weeks because of underlying health conditions, said Gerlich.
“The NHS keeps getting talked about,” she said, “but social care is doing the same for longer hours with more risk. Social care workers are sacrificing their health to support people. The least we can do is ensure they are not going into debt.”
She added that the children of some care staff had been refused admission in school sessions for key workers’ children, and so were having to find and pay for extra childcare. Others have been refused access to key worker shopping sessions in supermarkets.
The appeal was launched as the GMB union warned the coronavirus crisis could lead to the total collapse of the care system. It said care staff were being left unprotected against the virus, with no childcare and poverty sick pay if they become infected.
Kelly Andrews, the union’s care lead, said: “Despite being on the frontline, and utterly vital to stop our society from crumbling, they are on minimum wage, with unpaid breaks and are unable to rely on schools for childcare.
“And to rub salt in the wound, if they become ill they either have to try and support their families on poverty sick pay – or turn up to work ill which could be a death sentence for residents.”
The GMB is calling for all care staff to receive full pay during the outbreak.
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