Live In Carer what do I do when I'm not working ?

kiwi_86

Hi,
I would be really interested to hear from others who have worked as live in carers! I have just been offered a job as a live in carer, which will start in about a months' time. The starting rate is £450 per week (paid monthly) and I will be working 2 weeks on, 2 weeks off.

On the weeks I am working I wouldn't be paying any rent or food costs, as I'd be living with the person I'm caring for. However on the 2 weeks off I am not allowed to be living there, I have to be living in my own place.

It's great for the 2 weeks that I AM working, but then when I'm not working Id have to pay rent on my own place with only 2 weeks' wages I don't have any family I can live with locally for the other 2 weeks.

How best should I handle this? Can anyone offer any advice? It would be much appreciated.

Many thanks
Kiwi x

G_M

I'm not a Carer, but employ one for my mum.

We (and she) are lucky. She lives with my mum fulltime and has done so for 18 months. During her holidays (a week or 2 here and there) she empies out a few drawers in her room for the replacement Carer to use, and leaves all her possessions at mum's. It's her home.

But this is unusual where the Carer is employed via a Care Company. Most seem to provide 2 (or more) Carers on a rotating 2 week basis, though I had always (perhaps wrongly) assumed they spent the other 2 weeks with another client. The explanation I got was that this rotation

* protects both client and Carer from getting to emotionally involved
* ensures Carer gets a variety of experience
* reduces stress that can build up from caring for the same (perhaps demanding) client without break.

If you are being employed directly by the client I imagine the full-time arrangement is more likely.

As for your dilemma, it's hard to know what to advise. Some budget hotels( Travelodge?) give very cheap nightly rates for longer term bookings (is 2 weeks long term for a hotel?), as might B&Bs, but I imagine on a lowish wage even that becomes pricey.

Will you actually not be working for the other 2 weeks?

kiwi_86

I've been told I won't be working for the other 2 weeks, no xx

PasturesNew

I'd buy a nice, cheap, holiday home and go there..... depending where you are in the country, prices will alter... but, say, in some places you can buy a wooden chalet for £10-12k, with £1-2k/year "rent". They'll be shut down 1-2 months of the year probably .... during which time I'd find some other solution (e.g. go an visit/stay with people/family or something).

But you need a place that's "yours" that you see as your bolthole..... so, assuming you can't afford to buy a studio flat, I'd do that. If you can afford to buy a studio flat, then that might be a better idea.

kiwi_86

I can't afford to buy at all, due to credit rating. Also don't want to buy here as I won't be in my city this time next year xx

frisbeej

Depending on which part of the country you live in, I don't see how living by yourself is feasible on that wage.

elsien

House share?

pmlindyloo

I wonder if there is anyone in a similar position to you working for the agency who would welcome a flat/share.

The only other thing I can think of is being a lodger on the basis of just being there for two weeks out of four? It is possible that someone might wAnt a lodger like this.

Mojisola

pmlindyloo wrote: »

The only other thing I can think of is being a lodger on the basis of just being there for two weeks out of four? It is possible that someone might wAnt a lodger like this.

I was going suggest being a part-time lodger.

Other than having some way of earning money in the other two weeks, I don't see how this job is feasible.

When I looked into getting a live-in carer for my parents, the company's system was for the carer to live in for five or six weeks and then have a week or two off (the arrangements were flexible). Another carer would come in for the break and then the original carer would come back. That seems a better arrangement for the carer.

Owain_Moneysaver

Coould you find someone who works off-shore on oil rigs, as they're usually on a 2 week on, 2 week off rotation, and house share with them?

I don't think a position where you can't live in while off-duty is truly live-in, as your'e not provided with your own accommodation. it sounds more like a sleep-over arrangement. (And sleep-over care has implications for minimum wage as your sleep hours may be classed as work hours.)

If shortage of bedrooms is the problem, could you park a caravan in the client's garden and use the house kitchen and bathroom, but sleep in the caravan?

G_M

Who is employing you? The client you look after, or an agency?

If the client, I think this job is not worth taking (unless you can find another client for the other 2 weeks).

If an agency .... change agency! There are many many agencies who supply live-in carers for the elderly, disabled etc.

Where are you at present? In the UK? And where is the employment? London?

Many of the agencies will

* employ you full time (either with the same client, or 2 weeks with one, 2 weeks with a different client)

* help you find cheap accomodation to share with other carers - a 3 bedroom flat could be shared by 6 or more carers since most of the time they are away working.

* some agencies will even supply accomodation

I think you need to select an appropriate employer to meet your needs.

Try the UKHCA for a list of Care Companies in your area, then phone them all.