Fife council have announced an enhanced rate for carers working at the weekend. This is for all Fife carers, not only those employed by Fife council, if the organisation is funded through Fife council they will be funded for the enhanced weekend rate. The hourly rate for weekend work is now time and a third, however this is not for everyone that receives care. There are several different funding streams, often support staff are unaware of the funding stream the person they look after is on. They do the same job regardless of how it is funded however only those on the care at home funding stream are going to be paid the enhanced rate of pay.

This means some carers will receive the time and a third enhanced rate for their whole shift while other will receive a part of a shift and others will receive no enhanced rate at all. This does not value carers equally. Carers working on the same team, on the same day, doing the same job will be receiving a different hourly wage. The funding stream is irrelevant to the work we do and the family time we give up at the weekend.

It is unfair and does not value the carers that have worked tirelessly throughout the pandemic to ensure the most vulnerable in society are safe and well at the risk of our own, and our families, safety. 

Fife council - show you value all carers and pay every carer that works a weekend shift the enhanced rate of pay regardless of the funding stream the person they are looking after is on!