Why Visiting Angels is Different – A Career In Care That Is Carer Centric

The home care sector in the UK is struggling. With nearly 690,000 people working in domiciliary care across the country, demand is growing fast as our population ages. But here’s the problem: around 25-30% of care workers leave their jobs each year. Many quit within the first 12 months because of burnout, money worries, and tough working conditions.

For anyone thinking about a career in care—or experienced carers looking for something better—these numbers are worrying. But it doesn’t have to be like this. Visiting Angels is proving that when care agencies look after their staff properly, everyone wins: the carers, the clients, and the local community.

The Problem with Most Home Care Jobs

Low pay is the norm

Across the UK, most home care workers earn around £11 per hour. That’s barely above the National Living Wage. In fact, 69% of care workers were earning below £11.44 just before the April 2024 wage increase.

Zero-hours contracts create instability

Almost half of all home care workers are on zero-hours contracts. This means no guaranteed income from week to week, making it impossible to plan finances or feel secure.

The work takes a toll

The stats are stark: 42% of care workers say they feel unhappy or depressed. More than one in three report that their job negatively affects their mental health.

Travel time isn’t paid

Many carers drive between clients without getting paid for that time. When fuel costs come out of their own pocket too, their real hourly wage drops even lower—sometimes below minimum wage.

Visits are rushed

Even now, 73% of home care visits in England last 30 minutes or less. Many are just 15 minutes. Try helping someone wash, dress, and eat breakfast in 15 minutes. It’s not really possible, but carers are expected to make it work anyway.

Jobs are hard to fill

About 11-13% of home care roles sit empty at any given time. That’s four times higher than the UK jobs market overall. When that many positions can’t be filled, it says something about the working conditions.

Better Pay That Actually Reflects the Work

Above-average wages from day one

At Visiting Angels Kirklees and Calderdale, caregivers earn between £13.50 and £14.50 per hour. That’s significantly more than the £11 national average and well above the National Living Wage.

Guaranteed annual pay rises

Pay increases every year. This is almost unheard of in care work, but it means real financial progression. No more staying stuck on the same wage year after year.

Financial security matters

When 72% of UK care workers say they don’t feel financially secure, and nearly a quarter have needed to use food banks, better pay isn’t just nice to have—it’s essential. The difference between £11 and £13.75 per hour adds up to hundreds of pounds extra each month.

Getting Paid for All Hours Worked

Travel time is paid

Unlike most agencies, Visiting Angels pays for the time spent driving between clients. This means every hour of the working day is compensated.

Fuel costs are covered

Caregivers receive a 35p per mile fuel allowance. No more watching petrol costs eat into wages.

No more rushing between visits

When travel time is built into the schedule and paid for, there’s no need to speed from one house to the next. Carers can drive safely and arrive at each visit calm and ready, not stressed and running late.

The impact is real

Only 21% of home care workers nationally say they rarely have to rush or cut visits short. At Visiting Angels, proper scheduling means visits aren’t cut short to make the next appointment. One delay doesn’t ruin the entire day.

Time to Actually Do the Job Properly

One hour minimum, no exceptions

Visiting Angels has a firm rule: every visit is at least 60 minutes long. There are no 15-minute rush jobs.

What this means in practice

With a full hour, caregivers can help someone wash and dress without hurrying. There’s time to make a proper breakfast, have a chat, and notice if something seems off with the person’s health or mood.

The 15-minute visit problem

As recently as 2016, 74% of UK councils were still commissioning 15-minute homecare visits. Even though guidance says these short visits undermine dignified care, they’re still common. At Visiting Angels, they simply don’t exist.

Better for everyone

Carers can take pride in their work instead of feeling frustrated by impossible time limits. Clients receive care that feels unhurried and personal, not like boxes being ticked on a checklist. It’s the difference between care work and actually caring.

Stability and Real Support

Guaranteed hours, not zero-hours

Visiting Angels offers contracts with guaranteed hours. This means a reliable income that doesn’t fluctuate wildly from week to week.

Flexible scheduling that works for real life

Need to work around school pick-ups? Have other commitments? The scheduling is designed to accommodate carers’ lives, not just fill gaps in the rota.

Why this matters

In an industry where burnout is common and support is typically minimal, having genuine wellbeing resources available makes a real difference to whether carers can sustain this work long-term.

Lower Turnover Means Better Work

The numbers tell the story

While 25-30% of care workers nationally leave their jobs each year, Visiting Angels achieves turnover as low as 9% in some locations.

What this means day-to-day

Lower turnover means working with the same colleagues consistently. There’s time to build a proper team, not constantly training new people who might leave in a few months.

Clients benefit too

When carers stay in their jobs, clients see familiar faces. They build trust with one or two regular caregivers who genuinely know them, rather than meeting a different person every week.

Recognition and respect

Visiting Angels runs loyalty programmes and appreciation events. Some offices celebrate “Carer of the Month” with actual rewards. When asked if they feel paid fairly and appreciated, 67% of Visiting Angels caregivers say yes—much higher than at typical agencies.

Training and Career Growth

Proper training from the start

All caregivers complete the Care Certificate if they haven’t already. Many receive specialist training in areas like dementia care.

Support for qualifications

Want to do an NVQ or QCF diploma? Visiting Angels supports carers to gain formal qualifications. Nationally, only 38% of care workers have a Level 2 qualification or above—at Visiting Angels, ongoing training is actively encouraged.

Room to progress

There are clear pathways to senior carer, care coordinator, and management roles. Because Visiting Angels is growing across England and Wales, new positions open up regularly, and the company prefers to promote from within.

Ready for a Care Career That Works?

The difference between working at a typical care agency and working at Visiting Angels comes down to one principle: valuing the people who provide the care.

Better pay, paid travel time, hour-long visits, guaranteed hours, wellbeing support, and opportunities to grow—these aren’t just nice extras. They’re what make care work sustainable as a proper career, not a job people leave as soon as they can find something better.

For carers in Huddersfield and Halifax who want to do care work properly, without constant stress and money worries, Visiting Angels offers a genuine alternative.

Interested in joining the team?

Call Visiting Angels on 01484 360733 to find out more about current opportunities and what makes working here different.