Support for homecare workers
Legal support
Acas
"Acas is an independent public body that receives funding from the government. We provide free and impartial advice to employers, employees and their representatives on: employment rights; best practice and policies, and;
resolving workplace conflict. When things go wrong, we help to resolve workplace disputes between employers and employees"​
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Trade unions
For a monthly fee, you can join a trade union. Being a member of a trade union means that your voice can be better represented should the union negotiate on behalf of your workforce with the government. Trade union representatives can also provide formal support in relation to any questions or concerns you have about your employment. The main unions representing care workers are UNISON and GMB.
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Citizens Advice
Citizens Advice provides information about alternative ways to access free or affordable legal support, be that via legal aid, law centres, legal advice clinics, free advocacy services or exceptional case funding. Find out what each of these mean here. For further help, contact Citizens Advice online or visit in person at your local branch.
Financial support
The Care Workers Charity
"The Care Workers Charity Crisis Grant is open to care workers who have experienced a recent change in circumstance resulting in a significant financial impact. Grant applications are assessed on a case-by-case basis and a maximum of £500 can be awarded. Subject to funding and circumstances in some cases we can award up to £2,000 for funeral costs grants if you live or work in the Oxfordshire area"
Citizens Advice
Citizens Advice provides information about ways you can find support in the face of low-pay and the cost-of-living crisis, including support with debt. For further help, contact Citizens Advice online or visit in person at your local branch.
Company Shop
Care workers can apply for a free membership to Company Shop, which from their 14 shops around the country sells surplus supermarket stock at discounted prices, including products from top brands.
Blue Light Card
'Social care workers' qualify for a Blue Light Card which allows us to access to online and in-store discounts from hundreds of retailers as well as savings on holidays and days out. It costs £4.99 in total to register for two years.
Emotional support
Homecare Workers' Group - free peer support network
We are a free peer support network run by and for homecare workers in England. Get to know others in the same boat and find out about ways to get your voice heard in national conversations about the future of social care. Sign up here.
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Skills for Care resource - Managing work-related stress
This resource from Skills for Care provides tips and advice about how to develop resilience to the pressures involved in care work.
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The Care Workers Charity - Free sessions with a qualified therapist
If you feel you could benefit from speaking with a professional about your mental health and wellbeing, you can apply to access free support sessions with a qualified therapist via The Care Workers Charity.
Samaritans - someone to listen at any time of day
If you are feeling overwhelmed, stressed or in despair, a Samaritans volunteer will listen. Call for free on 116 123 to have a chat with a trained volunteer about what's on your mind. If you live in Wales, you can call their main number as above, or their dedicated helpline for health and social care workers on 08004840555 (English line, 7am-11pm) or 08081642777 (Welsh line, 7pm-11pm).
Mind - the mental health charity
Mind is a national charity which helps support peoples' mental health and wellbeing. As well as each local branch of Mind offering their own set of free services, there is a wealth of useful information on their website.​
Support for migrant care workers
The UK government
Information about the Health and Care Worker visa, plus further guidance.​
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Work Rights Centre
Information about where you stand as a migrant care worker in relation to various situations at work​
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The Autonomy Institute
A database which makes it easier to identify other sponsoring employers in your area
SponsorSwitch
A recruitment agency which may be able to help you to find a new sponsored employer​​
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UK Modern Slavery & Exploitation Helpline
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The UK Modern Slavery & Exploitation Helpline is a victim-centred service run by the charity, Unseen. They are not affiliated with the government or the police. Here is their guide to spotting the signs of Modern Slavery.​
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If you contact the helpline, advisors will treat everything you say confidentially and will not pass information to anybody (including law enforcement) without your permission, except if there is a threat to life or a child involved. They have interpreters in over 200 languages.
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Advisors at the helpline will signpost you in the direction of the most suitable support. With your permission, an advisor can help refer your case to relevant investigative agencies such as the Gangmasters & Labour Abuse Authority or the National Referral Mechanism (NRM) for modern slavery. “Once in the NRM, potential victims can access services based on their individual needs such as relevant legal advice, safe and secure accommodation, access to a support worker, financial support and medical care and counselling”.
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You can call the helpline confidentially on 08000 121 700, or report concerns online. The helpline is open 24 hours a day, 365 days a year, so you can ring them in the middle of the night and still receive exactly the same service. If the helpline ever needs to call you, their call will come from a private number. If you are a potential victim, the helpline recommends that you delete any record of your contact with the helpline from your phone, for your safety.
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The helpline will provide you with a unique case number which you can use to identify yourself in any future contact with the helpline. This means that if you need to put down the phone suddenly, you can always back pick the conversation back up by providing your case number. If you have other colleagues in the same position as you, you would be welcome to share the same case number so that your situations can be examined together.​
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Homecare Workers’ Group has its own open case with the Modern Slavery Helpline and the unique case number for this is 53048. If you wish, you can provide this case number when contacting the helpline. This means is that the helpline will be able keep track of all reports which have come through to them via Homecare Workers’ Group.
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