CALLS have been made for Rishi Sunak to hike the mileage rate health and social care workers receive as fuel prices continue to soar to unprecedented levels.
SNP MSP Stuart McMillan has written to the Chancellor asking him to increase the rate after speaking with a local home care worker, Frances Poole, at his latest surgery in Greenock.
She said she receives 45p per mile towards her fuel costs for driving to and from her patients’ homes, as per the HMRC rate which applies to lots of different occupations.
But as fuel prices continue to rise, she and many others who rely on their car to do their job are having to absorb the additional cost of filling up their tank.
McMillan said staff are struggling to afford to go to work due to having to use more money to carry out their duties.
He said: “The cost of living crisis is affecting everyone, but those on low incomes are being hit the hardest.
READ MORE: Boris Johnson's stance 'Kafkaesque', says ex-Westminster official
“When it comes to fuel costs, while some of us use our cars to commute, there are people whose jobs require the use of their own vehicle to go about their job. Some of us can make the switch to public transport, but for people like Frances, this is not an option.
“HMRC’s 45p per mile rate applies to lots of different occupations, which is why I’m calling on the Chancellor to introduce a targeted increase for health and social care workers.
“It’s widely reported that the health and social care sector is still affected by COVID-19 absences, with efforts being made to encourage more people to take up a career in care. But if existing staff are struggling to afford to go to work due to having to use more of their own money to do their job, how are we expecting to recruit new people into the sector?
“I accept this would only be a temporary measure, but I do believe it would ease the burden being felt by home care workers like Frances, and I hope the Chancellor will take my proposal seriously.”
McMillan says prices are rising more rapidly in his Inverclyde constituency than they are in neighbouring places such as Renfrew and Glasgow.
He has already raised the issue of inflated pump prices with the three main retailers in Inverclyde – Morrisons, Tesco and BP – and has asked the Finance Secretary for an update on the Scottish Government’s discussions with the UK Government on the matter.
Poole added: “I attended Stuart’s surgery in Gourock as I wanted to ask him about rising fuel costs. I knew this was an issue he’d spoken about publicly and as a home care worker, I wanted to make him aware of the impact higher pump prices are having on my income.
READ MORE: SNP and Greens challenged to support Labour rent freeze
“As the cost of filling up continues to increase, the 45p per mile allowance covers less and less of my fuel bill. I need to drive to and from people’s houses to provide care, so I have no option but to absorb these costs myself.
“I’m grateful to Stuart for highlighting my case with the Chancellor and I hope the UK Government listens to his call for the mileage rate to be increased for workers across the health and social care sector.”
Why are you making commenting on The National only available to subscribers?
We know there are thousands of National readers who want to debate, argue and go back and forth in the comments section of our stories. We’ve got the most informed readers in Scotland, asking each other the big questions about the future of our country.
Unfortunately, though, these important debates are being spoiled by a vocal minority of trolls who aren’t really interested in the issues, try to derail the conversations, register under fake names, and post vile abuse.
So that’s why we’ve decided to make the ability to comment only available to our paying subscribers. That way, all the trolls who post abuse on our website will have to pay if they want to join the debate – and risk a permanent ban from the account that they subscribe with.
The conversation will go back to what it should be about – people who care passionately about the issues, but disagree constructively on what we should do about them. Let’s get that debate started!
Callum Baird, Editor of The National
Comments: Our rules
We want our comments to be a lively and valuable part of our community - a place where readers can debate and engage with the most important local issues. The ability to comment on our stories is a privilege, not a right, however, and that privilege may be withdrawn if it is abused or misused.
Please report any comments that break our rules.
Read the rules here