Impact of the rising cost of living on essential workers: a Midwife Support Worker’s experience
The latest research from Totaljobs found that essential workers are being impacted greatly due to the rising cost of living. Essential workers are taking out loans to fund basic living costs and resorting to moving jobs and sectors at a higher rate than non-essential workers. A recent case study takes an in-depth look at the experience of a Midwife Support Worker, and how the rising cost of living has impacted her life.
A recent report released by Totaljobs provided insight based on the rising cost of living, and how this affects workers, jobseekers, and employers.
The report concluded that over a third of workers are considering leaving their jobs for positions offering higher salaries, and a fifth of people have already handed in their notice for higher-paying roles.
Some of the most compelling statistics highlighted the impact of rising cost of living on essential workers. 9% of essential workers have resorted to taking on loans to fund basic living costs, with the average amount being £329 higher than non-essential workers. They are also twice as likely to hand in their notice and move to a different sector to combat high living costs.
Over three quarters (77%) of workers are worried about the cost of living. General costs have risen for 90% of workers, including energy costs, food, clothing, PPE, work from home technology, childcare, and transport.
Unfortunately, the cost of living is not solely a financial burden but also a psychological one. The impact the rising cost of living is having on workers’ mental health and wellbeing is certainly noteworthy.
Nichola Janet-Smith is an NHS worker from Birmingham who was largely impacted by the rising cost of living. Nichola decided to make a change in her work life to ensure financial stability – for her and her family. This meant quitting her job and turning to a non-profit organisation for support.
Nichola’s story
I’ve worked in the NHS for six years and just left my role as a Community Midwife Support worker because the rising cost of living made it financially untenable. Having to travel to up to 10 homes a day, some 20 miles away from where I’m based, meant I simply couldn’t keep up with the cost of fuel and was taking home less money each month. After spending £700 on rent and £200 on travel, I was lucky if I was left with £200 to spare.
I’ve noticed the cap on my meter has risen from £15 to £20 and I hadn’t been made aware of this. It’s like a never-ending debt and I’m constantly finding myself turning off all electric points. The increasing financial burden took the enjoyment and passion out of the job, so I’ve moved from a community role to being based in a hospital full-time. It’s closer to home which means I’m spending less money on fuel, and the shorter distance also means I can take my kids to and from school which is a huge weight off my shoulders.
It was surprising to me that there was no Government support with fuel costs when working for the NHS. It became significantly challenging during Covid as I had four children at home instead of school, so bill usage increased, and prices began to skyrocket. It started to have a knock-on effect on me mentally to the point I developed anxiety and depression. I was finding it difficult to juggle work and children yet there was no physical or financial support for my situation. Luckily, I had the help of Fair for You, a non-profit lender which meant I could replace things like broken utilities.
Nichola Janet-SmithNHS Worker
Fair For You enables those excluded from mainstream credit to take control of their finances and purchase what they need. An ethical lender, backed by leading charities and foundations, Fair for You is focused on supporting rather than profiting from low-income households.
Despite being a community support worker for 6 years, Nichola made the choice to change her career from a community worker to a full-time hospital-based role. The rising cost of living meant Nichola could no longer afford the soaring fuel costs combined with increased costs of energy and utilities. This financial burden prevented her from providing for her family and took an unfortunate toll on Nicholas’s mental health and wellbeing.
It is paramount that employers acknowledge how the rising cost of living could be affecting their staff, financially and mentally, in order to support essential workers like Nichola, as well as staff based in other sectors.
How employers can maximise recruitment and retention as the cost of living rises article offers recruiter and employer advice on the rising cost of living and how employers can optimise retention and recruitment during this time.
Salary Squeeze: an employer’s guide to navigating the rising cost of living report takes an in-depth look at the insightful research carried out by Totaljobs, and offers extensive recommendations to guide businesses as the cost of living accelerates.