Coronavirus: 'No financial support' for some supply teachers

One supply teacher says they have been left to live off little income

A union has called for parity for all supply teachers as some have been left with "no financial support" due to school closures caused by the lockdown.

Most are employed by agencies in Wales, meaning they have been eligible for 80% of their average wage as part of the UK government's furlough payments scheme.

But some are employed by councils and teaching union UCAC claim they had been left with little-to-no income.

Some of those councils said they would make back payments to affected staff.

Ceredigion council said it was in the process of arranging backdated pay.

Anglesey council sent an email to supply staff and unions on Friday 15 May confirming supply teachers working on day-to-day cover would not be paid and should apply for Universal Credit.

Gwynedd council said supply teachers who worked on an ad-hoc basis were "unlikely to be eligible" for support.

One supply teacher, who did not want to be identified as they claimed it would make schools less likely to hire them, said they had been left with virtually no income during the coronavirus pandemic.

Living off savings

They added: "I'm running a house, I've got bills to pay. I got paid last month but after that there's just nothing else coming in and I'm not getting any information about what's coming in. I am basically into my savings."

• Welsh schools not reopening on 1 June

• 'Not safe to reopen schools,' warn teachers' unions

• Teachers warn of early school return 'spike'

The worker said councils "depend" on supply teachers, but have "hung them out to dry".

They added: "We work for the councils, we're employed by the councils. We might be zero-hours, but we're on the payroll, we pay tax like everybody else so we shouldn't be slipping through any nets."

• A SIMPLE GUIDE: How do I protect myself?

• AVOIDING CONTACT: The rules on self-isolation and exercise

• WHAT WE DON'T KNOW How to understand the death toll

• TESTING: Can I get tested for coronavirus?

• LOOK-UP TOOL: Check cases in your area

UCAC said Denbighshire, Flintshire and Wrexham councils have provided income support for supply teachers already.

Ioan Rhys Jones, from the union, said it wanted "fairness for valued workers", adding: "It's totally unfair. We would ask for parity for all supply teachers.

"We've got 22 authorities in Wales, with a small population base, and each of them are doing something different.

"So, if you're a supply teacher in Denbighshire... you're in quite a comfortable situation but if you work a few miles west in Gwynedd, most supply teachers there, if not all, are employed through the local authority and there's no financial support coming."

Gwynedd council said: "Supply teachers who have a pattern of working in Gwynedd schools on a regular basis are paid the salaries to which they are entitled from individual school budgets.

"However, if it is clear that a supply teacher working in Gwynedd has no set pattern of work - that is the individual has worked on an 'as and when required' basis - then, unfortunately, it is unlikely that they are eligible to qualify for such payments.

"As a council we are fully aware of the concerns that have been raised regarding the situation of some supply teachers who fall into this second category, and this matter is currently the subject of discussions with other councils in north Wales."

Ceredigion council said it was "working with schools to determine what arrangements and payments can be made to this group of staff in order to avoid hardship".