More than 170 care workers set their own wages after signing up to trailblazing platform

MORE than 170 care workers are set to be paid well above the average national hourly rate; after signing up to a new trailblazing platform that allows them to set their own pay and keep 100% of their earnings.

Launched in September, Click Shifts, part of the Flourish brand from Merseyside based The Progress Group, connects care clients to local, experienced, and vetted carers who can cover shifts at short notice, reducing the need to rely on agencies and avoiding additional fees.

Crucially, Click Shifts does not take a cut from what the carer is paid by the client ensuring care workers receive the full amount for the hours they work.

Amid statistics showing there were 131,000 unfilled UK care worker vacancies in 2024, Flourish data today reveals that in the space of just a few months, 173 care workers from across the country; in locations ranging from:- Merseyside, Manchester and Bradford, to Bristol and London; have all completed the vetting process to use the platform.

Carers can set their availability, and both carers and care clients can rate each other, ensuring transparency and accountability on both sides.

Once vetted, care workers can:- 'go live' and start benefiting from the platform when they set their availability and hourly wage. Currently 169 of workers have gone live and completed this step including:- 37 in the North West.

Those enjoying the platform are currently earning an average of:- �14.38 an hour; well above the national hourly average which according to Skills For Care data was just over:- �11, in 2024.

Flourish officials also confirmed 26 companies within the care sector had also been approved and signed up to the innovative platform.

To register with Click Shifts care workers need to have a cleared DBS check, hold up to date training certificates, and provide 2 references.

Delighted at the response so far, Phil Hitchcox, Flourish's Strategic Development Director, said:- "It is fantastic to see so many brilliant care workers from across the UK signing up to Click Shifts and being empowered to set their own pay and availability. But also, we know that the care providers love the simplicity of being able to source fully vetted care workers and select them based on their CVs, suitability and availability. The latest statistics show there were 131,000 vacant posts in 2024, and we will continue to play an active role in addressing this situation by removing barriers and helping the profession be an attractive choice."

Budget delivers investment in frontline services to residents

LIVERPOOL City Council is set to invest an additional �15.3 million in the delivery of frontline services to improve services for residents over the coming year.

The Council's:- 'core spending power'; the Government's measure of how much local authorities have to spend; has increased by:- 10.3% in cash terms as a result of Government funding and a proposed Council Tax increase of:- 4.99%.

The Council is to benefit from a �20 million Government:- 'recovery grant' to help areas with greater deprivation and need.

The budget includes:- an extra �1.5 million for neighbourhood services to help tackle issues, such as:- flytipping, street cleansing and blight.

The aim is to build on improvements which have seen a 25% drop in complaints about street cleansing and weeding over the last year.

Changes have included:- regular maintenance, litter picking and cleansing at 58 new locations, including:- central reservations, roundabouts and traffic islands; additional litter picks in areas including:- Kirkdale, Anfield, Picton and Dingle; and monthly cleansing of 850 communal bin stations.

There is also �500k for the School Streets programme to improve road safety around primary schools.

An additional �52 million is being set aside to deal with increased demand for adult and children's social care, temporary housing and home to school transport. The Council has a legal duty to provide adult and children's services, and they account for 63% of spending.

The Council's financial resilience has been boosted thanks to an improvement programme which has increased the cash total of Council Tax collected in year by:- 13%, reduced arrears by:- �18 million and cut Business Rates debt by:- �5.3 million.

In addition, a review of single person Council Tax discount has increased the amount of Council Tax that can be collected by:- �1.8 million, and changes to empty property premiums is bringing in an additional:- �8 million per year.

We have also reduced the time taken for an invoice to be paid from:- 51 to 38 days, cut the amount of debt owed to the Council by:- �10.7 million in the last quarter, and rolled out electronic invoicing to save on postage.

The Benefit Maximisation Team has increased income for the most vulnerable households by:- �7,643,529, which is up:- �433,583 compared to January 2024, and in this budget its staffing will be increased by 50%.

At the Budget Council meeting on:- Wednesday, 5 March 2025, Councillors will be asked to approve a rise of 4.99 per cent in Council Tax, including:- 2% ringfenced for adult social care.

The majority of households in Liverpool; 59%; live in Band A properties, and will see the charge for the Council services element bill rise by:- �84.04 per year.

Council Leader, Cllr Liam Robinson, said:- "This is the most positive budget we have been able to present for some time due to the new Government giving greater certainty to Councils including:- future multi-year settlements and a bigger share of funding towards cities like Liverpool. The budget continues our investment in the issues we know local people care about such as street cleansing, waste management and improving recycling rates, which is why we are bringing these services back in-house. Like all Councils, we continue to face real pressures in areas such as adult and children's social care, temporary housing and home to school transport, and will continue to work with sector partners to suggest longer term solutions to the Government."

Deputy Council Leader and Cabinet Member for Finance, Resources and Transformation, Councillor Ruth Bennett, said:- "We are continuing to make great strides in improving our own financial management to drive up income and make the most of every pound. This is helping manage the demand pressures we face in areas such as social care. This rigorous approach is increasing Council Tax collection levels, reducing outstanding Business Rates and cutting the amount of outstanding debt we are owed. We are determined to become a financially resilient organisation which provides services that are sustainable in the long term."

News reports located on this page = 2.

More than 170 care workers set their own wages after signing up to trailblazing platform

Budget delivers investment in frontline services to residents