Government must raise ‘ out-of-date ’ mileage rates for struggling public service staff, says UNISON  

More than a million public service workers including care staff, district nurses, housing officers, police staff and probation officers are being left thousands of pounds out of pocket because ministers have failed to update national mileage rates, says a UNISON report published today (Friday). NHS, social care, police and local government employees who need to drive for work are up to £6,000 a year worse off because the current 45p rate, set by HM Revenue and Customs, has not changed in over a decade, according to research by the union and the RAC Foundation. The report Driven Out of Work says the allowance should be 63.4p a mile based on increased motoring costs and inflation. This financial ‘mileage gap’ means public sector workers – who need to travel as part of their jobs – are effectively subsidising their employers for their work-related journeys, says the report. UNISON says this is having a major impact on frontline staff, of whom at least one in five is required to drive for work, according to the findings. Driven Out of Work says some staff are using up annual leave rather than go into work or calling in sick because they have run out of fuel and cannot afford to fill up their vehicles. Some social care employees say they’ve had to sell their cars to cover essential payments, such as housing or energy bills, and have had to shift to public transport so they can visit the people they care for. But having to use bus...
Source: UNISON Health care news - Category: UK Health Authors: Tags: Article Press release Christina McAnea mileage rates Source Type: news