Home care workers face fuel cost spike fears
Home care workers say rising fuel prices are squeezing their pay, as many use their own cars for long rounds. Providers warn low council and NHS fees limit what they can reimburse.
Intelligence analysis by GPT-5.4 Mini
Home care staff in Yorkshire say higher fuel bills are making already low-paid work harder to sustain. Providers argue they cannot always match mileage costs because public-sector funding for care is too tight.
A care worker often has to drive from one house to another all day, like a person making lots of tiny deliveries. If gas gets more expensive, the worker has to spend more just to do the job.
Some companies pay a bit back for the driving, but not always enough. The people who run care services say they also do not get enough money from councils and the NHS to pay more.
If this keeps happening, some carers may not want to travel so far. That could make it harder for older or sick people far from town to find help at home.
Analysis
Fuel costs are hitting care rounds
The BBC reports that home care workers who drive between clients are feeling pressure from rising petrol and diesel prices. Amanda Nottingham, a Sheffield carer, says she can travel 100-300 miles a week and may spend up to £400 a month on fuel, even though her employer pays mileage and travel time.
A funding squeeze in the care system
Care industry bodies say many firms cannot simply lift mileage rates because the money they receive from councils and NHS integrated care boards is too low. The Homecare Association says four in five care workers use their own vehicles, and 60% of providers pay 40p per mile or less. Its chief executive, Dr Jane Townson, says the average public-sector rate for homecare is about £24 an hour, below the association’s calculated minimum price for 2026-27 of £34.42 an hour.
Pay, retention, and access to care
Visiting Angels chief executive Dan Archer says the system depends on carers’ goodwill and that unpaid travel can push workers below minimum wage. The article also notes a government move in May to raise tax-free mileage rates to 55p per mile, along with a fuel duty cut and a planned Fair Pay Agreement for carers backed by £500m. The concern from providers is that without higher funding, some carers may avoid longer journeys, which could make it harder for people in remote areas to get care.
Key points
- Home care workers say fuel price rises are making it more expensive to visit clients across wide areas.
- Some carers use their own cars and drive hundreds of miles each week.
- Care providers say public funding for homecare is too low to raise mileage pay much.
- The BBC says there are concerns that travel costs could push carers out of the sector.
- The government says it is trying to help motorists and care workers through tax and pay measures.
