Providing high quality care is the main objectives for the health and social care system. The need for a private carer is becoming more demanding each year, and every day there are at least 6,000 people taking on a caring responsibility, which is around 2 million annually. Particularly for people who may be living with a medical condition or a disability, a private home carer is normally the first choice as it allows the care recipient to remain in their own home, and can be an affordable option for most people. Because of this, the amount of carers in the UK alone are continuing to rise, with 1.3 million people providing on average 50 hours of care a week.
Private carers are usually committed to their work and get a great deal of satisfaction from helping others and knowing they can make a difference in their lives. They typically enjoy meeting new people along the way. When an individual's working as a carer, it is clear that these will not be the only aspect that would influence their decision to undertake a caring role. It is important for the carer to be aware of the pay and ensure that the amount provided is sufficient enough to financially support your daily life.
The average pay of a carer can depend on a variety of factors such as the type of care you need to provide, whether it is live-in or live-out, and the geographical location. Private home care rates will continue to be provided on a ‘time and task’ basis, rather than health and care outcomes.
Particularly if you are with care agency, many of the private carers rates are on average around £12-15 an hour. At Guardian Carers, live-in care roles can range from £100 - 140 per day, but this could depend on the complexity of the role. Overnight private carers can earn between £15 - £20 per hour. Guardian carers can provide you with any advice you need and search for the care job that fits your financial requirements.
However, in order to meet the requirements of the national living wage, social care providers have to hold down the overall pay bill in other ways. A huge amount of the workforce is now paid at or around the minimum level, and the difference in pay between carers with less than 1 year experience and those with more than 20 years experience has reduced to £0.15 an hour.
As a carer, there is a wide range of financial support available to you. Guardian Carers are here to help you search for the perfect placement that will meet the eligibility criteria needed to apply for these claims.
The main financial benefit you could claim for is Carer’s Allowance, which is a taxable benefit eligible to you if you care for a disabled person for 35 hours or more each week. You do not have to be related to, or live with, the person you look after. The Carer’s Allowance consists of £66.15 a week in 2019/2020, however the payment would not be increased if you are caring for more than one person. This benefit does not depend on the level of your savings or income you or your partner may have, or if you have paid any National Insurance contributions (NIC). In addition, if you are claiming Carer’s Allowance, you will also receive a Christmas Bonus. This tax-free bonus will be given to you just before Christmas at the end of each year in the amount of £10. However, it is important to take into consideration that you will only receive a Carer’s Allowance Christmas Bonus if you are not getting a Christmas Bonus with another benefit.
There is a certain criteria needed for a carer to be eligible to apply for Carer’s Allowance:
It is highly important to take into consideration of whether the person you care for has the criteria to enable you to claim Carer’s Allowance. They must already be claiming at least one of the following:
Private carers can offer an array of support and assistance for someone who is need of care. There are a variety of care workers that can fulfil the role of a full-time or part-time carer, as well as live-in or live-out.
As certain health conditions are continuing to rise in the UK, such as dementia or parkinson’s , the need for private home care is increasing. Particularly with conditions such as this, it is beneficial for the individual to remain in the comfort of their own home, surrounded by their friends or family members, and their possessions. Certain conditions require 24 hour care, which means there is a rise for the need of live-in home carers which will ensure to provide constant support and help.
Hiring a Live-In carer tends to be the most expensive option for a client, considering the carer will be helping them for 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. But this very popular as it allows the individual to remain in the comfort of their own home, without worrying about going to a retirement residence, and in comparison it is much more affordable. Live-In care is different to other types of care because the wages are provided either by the day or the week. It will improve the quality of life for people and and much greater independence than a care home provider.
However, if you have no previous experience as a carer, it would not be recommended to start your profession with a live-in care role. You will be able to get a live-in care role eventually, but experience is needed. There are a variety of ways you can build up your experience before considering taking on a live-in position. Firstly, you could start doing some volunteering at a charity that specialises in adult or elderly care. This will allow you to become more knowledgeable about the industry. This will expose you to different situations and conditions that you will be dealing with as a full-time, live-in carer. At the same time, you will have staff around to support you who may be more experienced and can learn from. Secondly, you could also build up your experience by registering with a domiciliary care agency and taking courses that will provide you with more detailed, in-depth knowledge of the different conditions and debilitating illnesses.
Regarding health conditions, a nursing carer is also increasing in demand from people. Care can be provided less expensively to them, in comparison to moving into a care residence. A one-on-one personal carer is more likely to achieve better health outcomes for many individuals. There may be experiences where the care worker will need to provide care in coordination with a physician or other health care workers. Certain training, experience and qualifications would be required to handle certain medical conditions or disabilities.For example they may need to check a person’s blood pressure, assess the patient's condition, wound care. Nursing carers will often need to manage and administer prescription medication when the patient will need it. A nursing carer would also be required to check patients for a any muscle weaknesses and if their mobility is deteriorating. At times, it is required from the care worker prepare a care report to give any other medical specialists that are also caring for that individual. This would include identifying the care issues and making any recommendations about changes that could improve the patient's care plan.
If you are extremely passionate about caring and you would like to help others and make a difference in their lives, especially for some of the most vulnerable people. There is known to be a shortage in staff all across the care system, so deciding to take on the role in the industry can make an impact. Particularly with the number of elderly people, it is continuing to rise, which can also correlate to a rise in people with dementia which is expected to double to nearly 1.6 million by the year 2040. Because of this, the health and care industry will be under more pressure and become more demanding.
While being a carer is an incredibly demanding, emotional and draining profession, it is also one of the most rewarding. Knowing that you are looking after someone so that they are able to stay in their home, within their community and surrounded by cherished positions and photographs that hold precious memories.
With your care and knowledge, you will be able to help guide your clients through adjustments within themselves that would be difficult to manage on their own. Whether they are dealing with the loss of a spouse, a decline in general health or navigating a recent diagnosis with more serious health issues.
Knowing they have had such a profound impact on their client’s lives is one of the main motivators with many of the carers that we work with. Not only are you helping the client, but you are also helping the family. A carer takes the pressure off family members to try and assist and support in situations that they do not feel comfortable in, for example, if their loved one has Alzheimer’s or Parkinsons and requires more complex care than they can provide.
Relationships can become strained, but with a carer, they are able to maintain happy and healthy relationships with their loved ones.
Give us a call. We are ready to help. We believe we can find your perfect carer.