The government launched a consultation last Friday (13 November) looking at restricting the movement of care workers between care settings, in response to Covid. The proposals will effectively ban low-paid care staff from having more than one job, and will significantly reduce the work available to those who provide agency and bank cover to nursing and residential homes.

In response to concerns that there might be a correlation between care settings with a higher rate of Covid infection amongst staff and those settings that rely on staff who work across multiple settings, the government is proposing to ban care workers from having second jobs.

We represent around 400 care workers across North Yorkshire in both the public and private sectors. The nature of the care sector is that many are employed on zero-hours contracts, minimal hour contracts, or casual contracts and many care settings rely on the use of agency and bank staff.

Under the government proposals, care workers will be banned from working in any other care setting without a break of 14 days – which will mean not working and not earnings for 2 weeks.

We are today writing to all our members who work in adult social care to explain the proposals to them and to ask about the impact this will have on them and their families.

View our briefing about the proposed ban on care workers having multiple jobs