Care workers are being forced to turn to food banks as they self-isolate with no sick pay during the coronavirus pandemic, prompting an appeal to help them feed themselves before they return to caring for the sick and elderly.
The Care Workers’ Charity, which issues grants to care workers in financial difficulty, said the virus outbreak had led to a huge spike in demand, with applications for hand-outs surging by 400 per cent since Monday evening. The charity has launched an emergency fund to provide self-isolating care workers who are struggling financially with £500 grants.
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Thousands of people working in care homes or providing home care are having to take time off work if they or a member of their household has Covid-19 symptoms, but in doing so are often left with no income because chronic underfunding in this care system means their employers cannot afford to give them sick pay, the charity said.
Some are turning to food banks during this time, while others are said to be going hungry until they are able to start working again.
The Care Workers’ Charity’s emergency fund has a target of £1m and has already raised £100,000 since its launch – but the charity said the financial hardship was “only going to get worse” and far more would be needed to support care workers through the crisis.
There are around 2 million carers in the UK, and the Care Workers’ Charity estimates that around half of them will be forced out of work and may find themselves struggling if they have to self-isolate.
Karolina Gerlich, executive director of the charity, said: “Most care workers are on low pay. When you are on low pay, even losing a week in full wages can have a really disastrous effect. Many care workers have partners who have lost jobs, which exacerbates the situation.
“We have care workers who are fighting the virus at the front line, putting their health and lives at risk every day to support people, and then not having the money to buy food and pay their bills when they are choosing to do the right thing and self-isolate.
“I’ve been hearing from carers who are already having to go to food banks, and food banks are already beyond their limits of what they can provide.”
Ms Gerlich said morale among care workers was particularly low at the moment because, while there has been a surge of support and appreciation for NHS staff, the care sector has received comparatively little recognition for their efforts during the pandemic.
“I’m seeing so many people say they don’t know how they can carry on because everywhere they turn people are clapping for the NHS and everything else, and they feel like they’re forgotten,” she said.
“There are a lot of people in home care who care workers go to visit, who may have the virus. There are care workers who are moving into care homes to stay with residents to protect them. People are making so many sacrifices right now, it’s incredible.
“They are definitely very much on the frontline, it’s just not being recognised.”
More than 60 cross-party MPs have backed the charity’s fundraiser and co-signed a letter stating that any care worker who has to self-isolate must be supported through any financial hardship they may suffer.
“Our social care system is often an afterthought, with our care workers the unsung heroes. There is a real need for long-term fundamental reform. However, it is clear that social care is in urgent need of help, quickly and directly,” the letter states.
