Four in 10 staff at biggest care firm 'are ready to quit'

Carers on 'poverty pay forced to skip meals and do DIY dentistry

- NICOLA SMALL

THE country's biggest care provider is facing a staffing crisis - with four in 10 workers threatening to quit over "poverty pay".

HC-One owns more than 275 care homes, where union bosses say 40% of staff are considering leaving because they don't earn enough to live.

The lowest-paid carers earn just £10.47 compared an hour to the £686,000 that HC-One's highest paid director took home last year.

Employees report going without food so their kids can eat, carrying out DIY dentistry and drowning in debt, a survey of members by union GMB found.

One carer, a mum of two, told the union she "prays for sleep" so she doesn't "feel hungry".

She said: "My two children both have mental health problems, which I feel is a direct result of not being able to afford basic essentials like dentists, food, clothing etc. I have had to carry out dental treatment on myself and my youngest daughter.