The Access Group announces new charitable partnership with The Care Workers' Charity

The Access Group, has announced a new charitable partnership with The Care Workers' Charity The Access Group today announced a new charitable partnership with The Care Workers’ Charity, an organisation which provides financial support and guidance to help care workers overcome life’s inevitable challenges. Access will be donating 10% of all transaction fees generated from health and social care users of the EarlyPay app to the charity. Access EarlyPay is a leading on-demand pay app in the sector which allows workers to access their pay before pay day, giving them more financial flexibility and reducing stress associated with unexpected expenses. A recent survey of more than 1,400 care workers revealed that 90% of care workers with access to EarlyPay said it was the most important employee benefit available to them, and over 70% had used the app to withdraw money for essentials such as food and utility bills during COVID-19. But on-demand pay is not always enough. A combination of systemic low pay combined with the COVID-19 crisis means that more care workers are in need of a financial safety net than ever before. In a normal year, The Care Workers’ Charity receives around 1,000 applications for their grants; this year they have already received over 2,500 applications in the first six months. Abhishek Agrawal, Director of Access EarlyPay comments: “Care workers have always been on the frontline of supporting those most in need in our society, and these past few months have been more challenging than ever. We’ve seen many care workers using the EarlyPay app during COVID-19 to access their pay as and when they need it, and so we’re delighted to be able to give back by regularly donating to a fund which support carers in their own time of need.” To support the increased demand, The Care Workers’ Charity launched their COVID-19 support fund back in March. They had set a £1 million target which they reached in only 6 weeks, and are now 85% of the way to their new £2 million target. They have already been able to support 1135 workers thanks to donations, and its hoped that partnerships such as this will allow them to continue supporting even more care workers during this difficult time. Karolina Gerlich, Executive Director of The Care Workers’ Charity adds: “The Access EarlyPay scheme enables care workers to receive their wages ahead of time which offers flexibility. The scheme reflects the values of CWC and will help to prevent care workers slipping into poverty.”