Care agency in the spotlight over jobseeker payments

The BBC is to highlight the plight of low-paid care workers and their journey to find employment through a care agency, HCA Professionals.

They Inside Out London programme, presented by Matthew Wright (pictured), claims the agency took took hundreds of pounds from applicants to pay for Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) checks and extra training.

BBC London sent an undercover researcher holding a genuine level three diploma in Health and Social Care to try to find work with HCA Professionals.

Despite showing the company that she was qualified to work she was told to pay £95 for extra training. She also parted with £65 to arrange a the DBS check.

In other cases, the broadcaster say they were contacted by numerous carers who were promised shifts if they paid for extra training, despite them already being fully qualified to work in care homes.

The hopeful staff parted with up to £360, but work was not forthcoming.

Speaking to the BBC, Care Minister Norman Lamb said: “People with very little money already are put in a really invidious position. The allegations are very serious and I hope they get investigated by the police.”

Mr Lamb said a new set of “Fundamental Standards”, due to come in this April, will bring “real accountability” to care employers. Individuals will be banned from running businesses in the care sector if they do not pass a “fit and proper person” test.

But the programme claims these new standards will not apply to care agencies, meaning they will be powerless to intervene in these cases.

While care homes are regulated by the Care Quality Commission (CQC), agencies are not subject to any health watchdog whatsoever.

The company denies any wrongdoing.

Inside Out London is broadcast on BBC One tonight at 19:30 GMT and for 30 days on the iPlayer.