UK care providers are facing a funding crisis due to a huge "sleep-in care" pay bill. Nearly 70% of the sector was said to be at risk after a tribunal ruled that workers should be paid the minimum wage for the hours they are asleep whilst on call, according to a survey by Agenda Consulting and law firm Tower & Hamlins. The cost of back-pay for last year could be as high as £400m ($544m) and 68% of companies surveyed said their business would not be viable if they were required to meet the liability.
UK care providers are facing a funding crisis due to a huge "sleep-in care" pay bill. Nearly 70% of the sector was said to be at risk after a tribunal ruled that workers should be paid the minimum wage for the hours they are asleep whilst on call, according to a survey by Agenda Consulting and law firm Tower & Hamlins. The cost of back-pay for the last six years could be as high as £400m ($544m) and 68% of companies surveyed said their business would not be viable if they were required to meet the liability.