Home Care Workers Struggle with Fuel Prices

0:00On April 18th, home care workers in Northern Ireland are getting hit hard by skyrocketing fuel prices, making it tough to even get to their jobs. Petro now averages 154 pence per liter. Diesel 188.1 pence, way up from 124.8 pence and 1.32.6 pence before the recent conflict tensions. These cares drive miles every day to help vulnerable folks at home. But low reimbursements mean they're losing money, just showing up. Every group independent health and care providers is urging the Department of Health for quick support to keep this essential service running. They warn that without help, staff turnover will spike, as cost-force workers to choose between paying bills and doing their jobs. The department gets it, calling the fuel volatility a big issue for health and social care, and says talks are happening across government. Guys like Cara Keven Brewer love the work, but are scraping by borrowing cash for fuel last week just to make shifts. He's hearing from colleagues who are double layering clothes at home, skipping heat and

1:01skimping on food to save for petrol. Many fear they'll have to quit community care for something else, like nursing homes, leaving service users without their daily support. Private providers often pay as low as 20 pence per mile, compared to trust staff getting 58 pence for the first 4,000-5, 100 miles. Meanwhile, stormages greenlit a 100-pound payment for low-income households or benefit recipients to cover home heating oil, but it's not. Rolling out till summer, at earliest, and skips many cares like Brewer. As these front-mine heroes brace for more pain, the push for better mileage rates and targeted aid grows louder to protect both workers and the. Communities relying on them