GMB call on HMRC to investigate how staff working for Allied Care can be transferred from company to company without their knowledge
GMB, the union for workers at Allied Care, call on HMRC to investigate how staff working for the care home business can be transferred from company to company without their knowledge, consultation or agreement.
Several GMB members working for Allied Care have contacted HMRC over possible missing tax and national insurance contributions to be told their employer has changed, on more than one occasion, without their knowledge.
In one particular instance, a GMB member was told by HMRC that their employer had changed twice in the last 4 years. The latest company paying the wages for Allied Care is Riverwade Administration Ltd, a non-trading, dormant company.
Contracts of employment state Allied Care as the employer, however, HMRC informed one member that a P45 had been issued to HMRC by Allied Care in 2013, ending employment with that company without the staff member being informed. This particular staff member was then employed by Haldens Management Ltd, another dormant company at the time, and then to Riverwade Administration Ltd.
Allied Care provide residential, domiciliary and nursing care across East and West Sussex, Essex, Hampshire, Kent, Oxfordshire, Surrey and the London Boroughs of Harrow, Havering, Merton and Sutton.
The ultimate parent company of Allied Care is Wesley Ltd, a company incorporated in Guernsey.
Gary Palmer GMB Organiser said, “GMB members are now beginning to unpick the tangled web of their employment history. Despite thinking that they have and are still work for Allied care, many are finding out through details released by HMRC whilst chasing their missing Tax and NI that they have worked for any number of different employers or agency’s without their knowledge for years.
“I’m very worried about the continued secrecy and silence by Allied Care since the BBC first uncovered what appears to be around possible mismanagement and underhandedness taking place in a considerable number of care homes.
“Everyone should be concerned including the Local Authorities who have placed people in their homes, and the residents and the homes staff as they find a company run by smoke and mirrors, along with the assumption that staff can be ignored or even threatened into not asking questions and challenging this type of potential poor practices. This shows a lack of understanding and awareness of GMB members’ willingness to uncover the truth.
“GMB can only urge all staff to check that their deductions have found their way to HRMC and act upon the advice given to GMB members in order to protect those missing payments.
“We will be asking the GMB Legal team to work through our understanding of the history of staff employment records to see and understand what legal recourse staff might have with what potentially might be a failure to consult regarding transfers and or breach of contract.
“GMB will always look to challenge and seek clarity on any allegations of bad, indifferent or illegal working practices or behaviour if we become aware of it.
“I would welcome a call from Allied Care to sit down and discuss the matter soon.”
Contact: Gary Palmer on 07552 165 950
Notes to editors:
GMB Press release 5 June 2017
