Wallace and alm the other agency SWs make a very valid point that only agency SW know and understand. We get paid peanuts for the amount of work, unpaid overtime, lack of TM and higher manaherial support, lack of appropriate services, no holiday or sick pay and have to pay higher tax, accountant fees, no job Guarantee and having to work with the most complex and at least, double caseload and manage others and not go sick while permanent sws can take as many sick days as possible, as was the caee un my LA throughout covid. I was one of a handful of other agency sws who worked throughout covid while permanent staff went off sick and hid behind covid sickness and colds and coughs.
Well done new government, you’ve done it again. Alienating the workers who actually are doing something to support the vulnerable and needy!

Whoever wrote this you need to educate yourself the pay rate includes both employer and employee NI.

Employers NI at 15% plus umbrella fees

Agency Sw are not on over 75k

Thank you John…this is true, people forget about IR35 whixh requires that we are taxed before we are paid. So that £75k is significantly less now that we can’t use limited companies like we did before.

I have been an agency worker for over 15 years. I enjoy my work and enjoy agency work and will do for as long as I can.

Comments from agency workers that they are not benefitting from the inflated hourly rates when set against loss of holiday pay, sick pay, employers’ NI and other benefits speak to the fact that they are also being exploited by recruitment agencies, many of which making big enough profits to attract investment from private equity.

Everything the Recruitment and Employment Confederation and its members say should be taken in the knowledge that they have vested interests in the maintaining a vicious cycle of poor working conditions that drive churn that drives poor working conditions…

Higher management do not seem to recognise the underlying problem of why the best and experienced social workers in a team do not take on senior or management roles, and what problem this then perpetuates.
Instead they often take on the fiercely ambitious, inexperienced and often clueless social workers happy to do the bidding of those who recruited them and oblivious to the issues at the front line.
It’s worth remembering that people don’t leave jobs, they leave managers.

Permanent – Less risky, get their salary monthly. Get their pension when they retire, get paid when they go holiday, fall sick, including time off work for various reasons.

Last Last Social work is a difficult job and everyone works hard including unpaid overtime. Locum want flexibility and eating all their cake. Permanent want job security, growth and insurance for unforeseen circumstances.

A reform to retain SW is what this govt should be doing and not trying to save cost when there’s nothing to save in the first place. Make the profession appealing to young people and stop dependency on foreign recruitment.

Why not take a permanent SW job then?

You’re so right Jane.
I like you, did not vite this government even though i have in the past.
Labor is meant to be for the people, but how wrong were we!
As an agency social worker with 15 yrs experience, front line and doing the donkeys work, of unpaid hours and overnight with no extra pay, to be told you get paid more, it’s horrendous.
Permanent staff, can ans have taken time off sick and get paid all the rime, especially during Covid, whilst i did not take one day off feeling guilty and wanting to help as much as possible.
This is incredible and makes me feel, worthless!

Thankyou for sharing your insights David S!

I always value CommunityCare, not just for the main stories but you the insightful comments from workers ‘on the ground’ that would otherwise go unheard.