Minister announces £500 payment to thousands of workers supporting 'some of the most vulnerable'

Communities Minister Deirdre Hargey has announced that as many as 4,500 workers who assisted some of the most vulnerable people in society throughout the pandemic are to receive a special recognition payment of up to £500.

Minister Hargey confirmed that workers employed through the Supporting People (SP) Programme and the Homeless sector are to receive the payment as part of a £3.5 million scheme. 

Frontline workers on the Supporting People programme help people who have been homeless or a rough sleeper, people with a physical or sensory disability, people at risk of domestic violence, those with alcohol and drug problems, people with learning difficulties, teenage parents, elderly people and many more.

Workers are employed across numerous projects including, The House in the Wells Addiction Hostel Derry, Damien House, Women’s Aid, Simon Community, Ramona House, Jefferson Court and Shepherds View Young Persons Project.

Minister Hargey said: “Staff employed through the programme have faced many challenges throughout this pandemic, and will most likely continue to do so for some time to come.

"They deserve to be recognised for their hard work in supporting vulnerable people in the same as health and social care staff have been."

Trade unionists in Derry have campaigned for SP Programme workers to receive the £500 payment along with other NHS staff.

However, when contacted by the Derry News in February, the Department for Communities (DfC) said responsibility lay with the Department of Health.

UNISON Community Branch has welcomed the announcement that DfC will now begin the process of implementing a payment recognition scheme for all SP Programme workers.

Niall McCarroll of UNISON said: "Of course, this specialist harm prevention, life changing, community stabilising work will continue to be largely unrecognised, for as long as, Supporting People Programme frontline workers continue to receive substandard terms and conditions of employment.

"Nonetheless, this announcement will be well received by our members, frontline workers who were left feeling let down, disillusioned and hurt by the previous decision by the Stormont Executive, to only recognise the essential work, of public sector employed health and social care workers - during Covid-19.

"The finer details of this recognition payment still require further clarification but this rethink by the Stormont Executive is welcome, especially welcome, for those support workers who found themselves on SSP, as a direct result of being off work due to a Covid-19 related absence - in some cases a work related absence caused by contracting the virus, whilst completing their employment responsibilities.

"Of course, the initial decision to sideline and not recognise the crucial life saving work completed throughout the Community Sector, resulted in UNISON Community Branch activists mobilising through a campaign calling for a £500 Covid recognition payment for all workers in the Community Sector."

As the UNISON Community Sector workers campaign advanced, several thousand people signed a petition calling for Community Sector workers to be recognised with Derry City and Strabane District Council supporting the trade unions call.

On June 24, a deputation was made to the Committee for Communities, during which testimonies from frontline SP Programme workers were delivered to the committee.

During the campaign, UNISON Community NEC member Saoirse Fanning said: "Being in government is all about making decisions and choices.

"We have seen this rotten Tory government consistently cut workers pay, damaging communities and livelihoods, at the same time deciding to spend £37 billion on track and trace, £849 million on, eat out to help out, and £2 billion in Covid contracts to Tory donors"

Meanwhile, SDLP Social Justice Spokesperson Mark H Durkan has welcomed a 'U-turn' from Minister Hargey on a payment for Supporting People staff.

Earlier this year Mr Durkan wrote to the Minister calling for recognition of the work done by the sector during the pandemic, but his plea fell on deaf ears. 

The Foyle MLA said: “It is welcome the Minister has changed her position on this important issue and staff will now get the recognition they so richly deserve after an incredibly tough period during the coronavirus pandemic.

"However, this payment does not change the fact that the Supporting People sector is at breaking point.

“The failure to increase funding over the last decade is unacceptable and has had a detrimental impact on both service providers and service users.

"These staff support some of the most vulnerable and at risk groups in society and over the pandemic their workload has increased dramatically.

"In 15 years the programme has not witnessed any increase in funding or improvements in pay and conditions for its workers, that is absolutely shameful."