Support
An overview of various kind of support available to home care workers.
Modern Slavery
For full information and guidance about modern slavery, how to spot the signs and how to report concerns, visit this page of the website.
Financial support
The Care Workers' Charity Crisis Grant
Through the fantastic Care Workers' Charity, you can apply for an emergency grant: "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". Find out more on their website by clicking here.
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. Click here to see what support is available. For further help, you can contact Citizens Advice online or visit in person at your local branch.
Care workers can apply for a free membership which allows them to shop at a Company Shop. There are currently fourteen Company Shops around the UK. They sell surplus stock which would otherwise go to waste at discounted prices. Take a look at their website here and see if there's one near you.
'Social care workers' qualify for a Blue Light Card which gives you 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. Click here to go to the Blue Light Card website.
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Emotional support
Free sessions with a qualified therapist via The Care Workers' Charity
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. For full information, click here.
Samaritans - someone to listen at any time of day
You can always call Samaritans for free on 116 123 to have a chat with a trained volunteer about what's on your mind. If you are feeling overwhelmed, stressed or in despair, a Samaritans volunteer will listen. 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.
Finding others in the same boat as you can do wonders for your wellbeing. Join Homecare Workers' Group today to help grow our supportive community. It's a free, secure online space that's easy to use, exclusively for home care workers.​
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Legal support
Understand your legal rights as a care worker
UNISON provides a clear overview of where care workers stand legally on a number of common issues, including unpaid working time.
Join a union
Joining a union is a great way to access to free legal advice, representation and support. You have to pay a monthly membership fee. The main unions representing care workers are The Care Workers Union (CWU), UNISON and GMB.
The Care Workers Union charges a "membership fee of just 1% of an average worker’s weekly salary" - £1 a week or £53 for the year. The monthly membership fee at UNISON depends on how much you earn per year, anywhere from £1.30 a month if you earn under £2000 a year to £22.50 if you earn over £35,000. At GMB, monthly membership is £8.40 if you work under 20 hours a week or £14.57 if you work full time.
Other routes to free or affordable legal support
Citizens Advice provides information about alternative ways to access free or affordable legal support as a care worker, be that via legal aid, law centres, legal advice clinics, free advocacy services or exceptional case funding. Find out what each of these mean by clicking here. For further help, you can contact Citizens Advice online or visit in person at your local branch.
Not sure whether you are being paid below the National Minimum Wage due to unpaid travel time?
If you think you might be paid below the National Minimum Wage because of unpaid travel time, register your interest in our true hourly pay calculator for home care workers to help bring this to life.​
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