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Fuel increases forcing carers to quit
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| Concerned carers Annie Cox, left, and Liz Uzzell |
CARERS in the Cotswolds feel they may have to quit their jobs over rocketing fuel prices.
Many fear the move could mean their older patients are forced to move into nursing homes.
Annie Cox, community carer for a private company, said a car was vital for the job and while she receives a fuel allowance it no longer covers the spiralling prices.
Mrs Cox, 52, told the Standard: "Fuel goes up on an alarmingly regular basis, I'm finding it hard to keep up. We need to keep our cars on the road in order to do our jobs."
The increase coincides with oil companies announcing record profits.
Last month Shell and BP recorded profits of £3.92b and £3.32b respectively for the first three months of the year.
Mrs Cox, who has clients between Lechlade and Meysey Hampton, said many colleagues had already quit to take up jobs in nursing homes.
"It will be the elderly, the sick and the most vulnerable who will suffer most," she added.
"Why should they be made to suffer because of the greed of the fat cats who appear to hold this country to ransom?"
The effects of the increasing costs also worried Christina Snell, chief executive officer for Age Concern Gloucestershire: "We would be concerned if the rising fuel costs resulted in the quality or availability of care being reduced," she said.
Cotswolds MP Geoffrey Clifton-Brown shared a similar opinion: "This is a real concern, it's clearly a very serious matter. I think every company is going to have to review its mileage allowance. The Government will have to look at the taxation structure."
However, spokesman for Gloucestershire County Council, Amy Didcote, played down the situation: "Mileage allowances to domiciliary care staff who need to use their car to undertake duties within the community are reviewed on an annual basis.
"Staff have recently been informed of the new rates of car allowances and will receive a back-dated payment to April 1 2008."
9:30am Thursday 22nd May 2008
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CommentPosted by: david, chedworth on 12:08pm Thu 22 May 08
The rocketing fuel prices benefits no one but Alistair Darling and Gordon McBrown, we have a double whammy here Cotswold Carers have disproportionately more miles to travel and our fuel is always more expensive than Swindon or Gloucester. Brown should massage his budget to help rural motorists in the same way he can find cash to win by elections
The rocketing fuel prices benefits no one but Alistair Darling and Gordon McBrown, we have a double whammy here Cotswold Carers have disproportionately more miles to travel and our fuel is always more expensive than Swindon or Gloucester. Brown should massage his budget to help rural motorists in the same way he can find cash to win by elections
Posted by: Thomas Lowry, Faiford on 5:07pm Thu 22 May 08
It is time the price of motor fuel was capped before the country grinds to a standstill. Are you listening, Brown.
It is time the price of motor fuel was capped before the country grinds to a standstill. Are you listening, Brown.
Posted by: pauline mcgeoch, tetbury on 8:14pm Thu 22 May 08
Gloucestershire county council may have increased its mileage allowance to it's employees, but they have cut their home care provision and most home care is done by private agencies like the one ms cox works for and these private agencies have not increased their allowances for years. I also work for in the private sector and my allowance has not gone up in the four years i have worked for them.
Gloucestershire county council may have increased its mileage allowance to it's employees, but they have cut their home care provision and most home care is done by private agencies like the one ms cox works for and these private agencies have not increased their allowances for years. I also work for in the private sector and my allowance has not gone up in the four years i have worked for them.
Posted by: Annie Cox on 7:00pm Sun 25 May 08
Just as an addition to the article above, Amy Didcote is correct when she says carers have a yearly fuel allowance review.My particular Company was paying us 20p per mile, it went up in April to...... 25p!!! Reading Pauline McGeochs' comment about no fuel allowance increase for the last 4 years,either she is content with the arrangement or she needs to start making some noise.Remember, without us carers out there doing the work, there wouldn't be any agencies, private or otherwise!
Just as an addition to the article above, Amy Didcote is correct when she says carers have a yearly fuel allowance review.My particular Company was paying us 20p per mile, it went up in April to...... 25p!!! Reading Pauline McGeochs' comment about no fuel allowance increase for the last 4 years,either she is content with the arrangement or she needs to start making some noise.Remember, without us carers out there doing the work, there wouldn't be any agencies, private or otherwise!
Posted by: Steve Mills, DoCare, Cirencester on 7:36am Tue 27 May 08
Increased fuel prices mean that employers will have to be proactive to ensure that they can continue offering their services. If employers fail to take action they will suffer the inevitable consequences of their staff moving to alternative employment so that they can pay their bills at home. For home care services this will increase the risk of people not being able to receive care. We at DoCare are an independent provider of home care services in Gloucestershire and increased our tax free mileage rates to 40p/mile in April. This is only part of our wider response to climate warming.
Increased fuel prices mean that employers will have to be proactive to ensure that they can continue offering their services. If employers fail to take action they will suffer the inevitable consequences of their staff moving to alternative employment so that they can pay their bills at home. For home care services this will increase the risk of people not being able to receive care. We at DoCare are an independent provider of home care services in Gloucestershire and increased our tax free mileage rates to 40p/mile in April. This is only part of our wider response to climate warming.
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