HARD-PRESSED care staff at a North Yorkshire care provider are getting a helping hand to cope with the ongoing cost-of-living crisis.

The Scarborough-based care group, Saint Cecilia’s, has joined forces with a local supermarket chain to introduce a discount card for its workforce of more than 200.

The care group’s owner said the team are doing all they can to support staff but the Government needs to help social care.

When staff join the company, they will receive £250 worth of One Stop vouchers, whilst existing staff are to receive £100 worth.

Then they will all be able to use a discount card to get 10 per cent off in any of the One Stop chain of 17 shops.

Saint Cecilia’s managing director, Mike Padgham said: “With the cost-of-living crisis these are difficult times and we wanted to do what we can to help our staff.

“We are really pleased to be joining up with One Stop to launch this immediate bonus, followed by the discount card.

“It is wonderful to have two local businesses supporting each other to get through challenging times.”

Meanwhile, One Stop company director, Dan Wilson, said the firm is "delighted" to partner with Saint Cecilia’s on this discount scheme for hard-working staff members.

He said: "When local businesses work together everyone benefits and we are very proud to be supporting the care group’s staff and helping them to cope with the rising cost of living.”

Saint Cecilia’s has a nursing home, two care homes and a day care centre in Scarborough, a nursing home in Whitby and a care home in Pickering.

It has already increased pay for more than 200 staff members in recent months and now pays above the 'Real Living Wage' - which is above the Government-prescribed 'National Living Wage'.

But, Mr Padgham said he would like to pay staff more but needs the Government to fund social care better.

He said: “We are doing what we can and with initiatives like the One Stop discount card we are trying to help.

“We regularly provide bonuses when we can and staff gifts like hampers, especially during the pandemic.

“But care providers operate on very tight margins and in our case, we rely very much on the price local authorities pay us to provide people with care. Due to Government funding cuts, the price that local authorities pay has been squeezed and squeezed in recent years leaving all care providers like us unable to recognise and reward our amazing staff as well as we would like to.

“That is why we continue to campaign for the Government to fund social care properly so that we can all pay our staff better.”