Carers can qualify for paid time off work
RENFREWSHIRE CITIZENS ADVICE BUREAU ANSWERS YOUR QUESTIONS
I have been off sick for the last week but my employer has said I don’t qualify for statutory sick pay (SSP). I don’t understand why? I work part-time – 25 hrs per week – and earn over the minimum waget.
To qualify for statutory sick pay (SSP), you must usually earn at least £123 per week (before tax). Based on what you’ve said, your earnings are well above this threshold.You also must have been off sick for at least four days in a row (this can include non-working days such as the weekend) and you also should have informed your employer within their deadline (or within seven days). If you meet these criteria you should qualify for SSP. There is an additional rule to be aware of, there are“waiting days”applied and you are not paid for them. These“waiting days”are three of your normal working days. This effectively means that you would qualify for SSP for the days you would have normally worked, minus the three waiting days. Statutory sick pay is is usually a lot lower than income from work, so have a benefits check to ensure you are not missing out on other income whilst you are ill. We would advise you to request a written explanation from your employer of the reasons you are not getting SSP. This is often done on a form called an SSP1. If they refuse to provide this or you believe the info they have given you is incorrect, please contact us at the bureau directly.
I’m a carer for my mum, I heard there might be new legislation that would mean I’m able to take time off work without risking my job? I share the responsibility with my siblings, but when my other family are on holiday I need to be there full-time.
There is new legislation coming in. From April 6, the Carer’s Leave Act starts. This means that any employees who are caring for a spouse, civil partner, child, parent or other dependent who needs care can take unpaid leave. This care can be because of disability, old age, illness or injury provided they will need care for a minimum of three months. In these circumstances you are entitled to take one week of unpaid leave annually. One week is the maximum duration, regardless of how many people you are caring for.You do not have to evidence this and an employer cannot deny your entitlement to Carer’s Leave. However, an employer could delay it if the operation of the business would be unduly disrupted.
I need a new car on a budget and I’ve seen some good prices buying at auction. I’m aware this might be more of a risk, but I could get a good deal this way. Is there anything in particular I should do to make it a bit less risky?
You are right in that you won’t have the same legal protections as buying from a trader (eg returns and refunds).You should check the auctions house’s terms and conditions before bidding.You can also do some simple checks to make sure that you’re not buying a car illegally or one that’s had major repairs. This would be sensible to do regardless of who you buy from. We recommend checking with the DVLA via their free online info checker to make sure the details of the car (make, mileage, registration and MOT test number) match.You can check the MOT history of the car on Gov.uk.You can also get a private history check. This will cost you up to £20 and there are online services that provide this. They will be able to tell you if the car has been reported stolen, the seller still owes money on it or if the car has been in a serious accident.