Duty of care | Should HR's responsibility extend to paying employees' bills?

Caring for employees through thick and thin is part of not only being human and showing compassion but also fulfilling duty of care obligations.

When we are sick, we get sick pay, when we start a family, we get parental pay and when we need a leave of absence for unforeseen circumstances, it is normally granted. But how far does it extend? When an employee can no longer pay the bills, should an employer step in?

A new report by employee and benefits provider Pluxee UK, reveals that 68% of HR professionals have noticed a rise in requests for financial support or education in the past year. On average, almost a fifth of their current workforce proactively approached them seeking financial wellbeing support.

The cost of living crisis is biting and when we look at data from the Office for National Statistics which finds that in September 2021 a pint of milk was 43p and a year and a half later, in March 2023 that same pint of milk was 70p, it’s easy to see why the pinch is occurring. From our basic staples to filling up with fuel – the squeeze on our incomes is real and it’s starting to hurt employees.