So it's National Insurance then

[SLUDGE FACTORY]

Spot on. Carers who work for an agency, aren't paid travelling time or gaps between calls. They could have their first call at 4pm, and their last at 10.30pm. But with only 6 or 7 half hour calls, maybe 4 hrs work, at £9 per hour, that's £37 and out for 6.5 hrs, plus wear and tear on the car. ****ing disgrace.

It's shocking . If we need extra care at the weekend I pay the carers 15 quid an hour . They don't tell the care agency , nor do I and they make good money to see them through .

I am not prepared to pay a care company already making a killing extra on top .

They phone me a few days before a bank holiday and say do you want cover ? I say no because if I say yes the care company charges the council double time yet only pays the carer 9 quid !

So I just pay the carers direct and everyone's happy . We get carers she likes , the care company don't screw the council and don't make money by not passing on double time to the carers .

These care companies have glossy websites and brochures but they are screwing their staff into the ground and screwing the councils and the vulnerable

[Tuerto]

It's shocking . If we need extra care at the weekend I pay the carers 15 quid an hour . They don't tell the care agency , nor do I and they make good money to see them through .

I am not prepared to pay a care company already making a killing extra on top .

They phone me a few days before a bank holiday and say do you want cover ? I say no because if I say yes the care company charges the council double time yet only pays the carer 9 quid !

So I just pay the carers direct and everyone's happy . We get carers she likes , the care company don't screw the council and don't make money by not passing on double time to the carers .

These care companies have glossy websites and brochures but they are screwing their staff into the ground and screwing the councils and the vulnerable

Absolutely agree. The Domiciliary care industry has a massive turnover of staff, and for obvious reasons, it isn't seen as a career industry. The job some of these carers do (if done correctly) can save the NHS a large sum of money by keeping service users (horrible phrase) in their own homes and out of hospital, because of something shit, like pressure sores. Very important job.

[Nobody's Rep]

It's shocking . If we need extra care at the weekend I pay the carers 15 quid an hour . They don't tell the care agency , nor do I and they make good money to see them through .

I am not prepared to pay a care company already making a killing extra on top .

They phone me a few days before a bank holiday and say do you want cover ? I say no because if I say yes the care company charges the council double time yet only pays the carer 9 quid !

So I just pay the carers direct and everyone's happy . We get carers she likes , the care company don't screw the council and don't make money by not passing on double time to the carers .

These care companies have glossy websites and brochures but they are screwing their staff into the ground and screwing the councils and the vulnerable

There are some huge generalisations in there as there some good private companies but others who do employ poor employment practice

Have you talked to the LA about direct payments where you can control who you employ to provide care?