Caremark Preston: A Living Wage Employer

Great care starts with great people. At Caremark Preston: A Living Wage Employer, we are proud to be accredited by the Living Wage Foundation and pay the real Living Wage for our frontline roles. This reflects the true cost of living and recognises the skill, dedication and responsibility that care work requires. By valuing our team properly, we attract and retain compassionate professionals who deliver dependable, person-centred home care across Preston and nearby communities.

Choosing a living wage employer matters. It means our Care Assistants feel secure, respected and supported, which shines through in every visit. Families see the difference in reliability, kindness and attention to detail.

What Living Wage accreditation means at Caremark Preston

The real Living Wage is a voluntary rate set each year by the Living Wage Foundation to reflect everyday costs like housing, food and transport. It is different to the statutory National Minimum Wage and National Living Wage, which are legal baselines but not linked to living costs. As a living wage employer, we go further than the legal minimum so our colleagues can meet day-to-day needs and focus on delivering excellent care.

We also pay travel time between visits and contribute to mileage for eligible roles, recognising the full working day rather than just time spent in a customer’s home. This approach supports fairness, reduces financial stress and underpins consistent, attentive support.

Our accreditation signals our values: fairness, dignity and respect. It reflects our commitment to tackle in-work poverty in social care and create a workplace where people are trained, recognised and supported to flourish. That, in turn, safeguards the quality, safety and continuity of care you can expect from Caremark Preston: A Living Wage Employer.

Benefits for Care Assistants at Caremark Preston

We offer fair pay and paid training  with predictable income. Flexible scheduling is available, with patterns that can fit around family life, study or other commitments, without compromising earnings. This stability helps us build reliable rotas and maintain punctual visits for our customers.

Training and development are central to our approach. New colleagues receive a paid induction and Care Certificate training, followed by shadowing with experienced team members. Ongoing learning includes:

• Qualifications such as NVQ/QCF diplomas in Health and Social Care
• Specialist modules in dementia, end of life and complex care
• Regular refreshers, supervision and mentoring

Clear progression routes lead to senior care, field care supervision and care co-ordination roles, with pay enhancements to match responsibility. A valued, well-trained workforce delivers careful medication support, safe mobility assistance, nutritious meal preparation and meaningful companionship—always guided by personal routines and preferences.

How fair pay strengthens quality and continuity of care

Paying the real Living Wage and travel time helps us plan stable rotas and reduce last-minute changes. Customers benefit from dependable schedules, familiar faces and visits that start on time. This reliability supports wellbeing, confidence and independence at home.

Lower turnover follows when colleagues feel respected and secure by an employer that does the right thing. Continuity enables our Care Assistants to understand personal preferences, notice subtle changes and act promptly. This could mean spotting a reduced appetite, arranging a GP review when something seems off, or taking a few extra minutes to support exercises recommended by a physiotherapist. Consistency builds trust and reduces anxiety, particularly for people living with dementia or complex conditions.

Working and living in Preston with Caremark

We support people across Preston and nearby areas including Fulwood, Ashton, Lea, Penwortham, Broughton, Ribbleton, Ingol and Walton-le-Dale, as well as villages and towns within PR postcodes. Local knowledge helps us design compact routes that reduce travel time and improve visit reliability.

Typical patterns include early mornings, daytime, teatime and evenings, with some weekend availability. We build rotas around sensible travel corridors such as the A59, A6 and A582, and community hubs including GP surgeries and shopping areas. Being a living wage employer means our team can meet everyday costs while enjoying local parks, markets and leisure spaces on days off—benefits that contribute to wellbeing and job satisfaction.

We are active in the community through wellbeing initiatives, recruitment events and information sessions about home care. Regular check-ins, supervision and peer support strengthen resilience and mental health among our colleagues. Investing in our workforce and our city supports a stronger, more caring Preston.

Joining Caremark Preston as a Living Wage care professional

professional

Our recruitment process is simple and supportive:

• Enquire online or by phone to discuss your interests, availability and preferred areas
• Attend an interview covering your experience, values and common care scenarios
• Complete pre-employment checks, including references and an enhanced DBS
• Undertake paid induction training and shadow shifts to build confidence
• Start on your rota with ongoing supervision, mentoring and regular reviews

We look for people with empathy, reliability and a commitment to dignity and independence. Strong communication, attention to detail and a willingness to learn are important. Experience is welcome but not essential; we provide the training you need to succeed. For live-in roles, resilience, organisation and the ability to form trusting relationships over extended periods are key.

From your first weeks, you can expect supportive scheduling, clear guidance from a Field Care Supervisor and 24/7 on-call support. You will receive paid training, uniform and the equipment required to work safely. As your skills develop, you will have opportunities to gain qualifications and progress your career within Caremark Preston: A Living Wage Employer.

• Accredited living wage employer committed to fairness and transparency
• Local team with strong community links and excellent rota planning
• Consistent, person-centred care delivered by trained, supported Care Assistants
• Clear career pathways, recognised qualifications and ongoing mentoring
• Trusted standards, robust safeguarding and responsive leadership

As an employer that puts people first, we balance heart and head: genuine kindness with professional standards. Families choose us because we are local, human and safe.