I’m in the North West, and work for an agency on an irregular basis on PAYE. I’ve taken some time off and was surprised to return to a £10 p/h flat rate, Night job. So I do it expecting something better to come along. But the agency is keeping me on this, I’m not happy and asked for a job that’s on a rate I’m used too of around £12 p/h, I feel that is fairly reasonable on agency. I simply want to clear near £500 per week.
Have times changed so much that getting £12 p/h flat rate with no benefits or guarantees you’ll have a job at all the week after too much to ask? They seem desperate to keep me on, and everywhere I look seems to be advertising for drivers, so am I being unreasonable?
You can ask as much as you want, like GasGas sayid > They pay what THEY want to pay.
I guess £10-10.50 for weeks seems to be average on PAYE. At least at the time when I do Nights during the week as a PAYE limper.
Unless you go Ltd. Co and all that drivvel…
Rule 1 > Agencies are always advertising for “super double wammie high earning jobs”
Rule 2 > these “Jobs” mostly don’t exist or you only get 1-2 stints per month for that particular job.
Rule 3 > most rates which advertised are Ltd. Co. Driver rates
Please use the search function of the forum to get all the infos on the “Limited Company/Self Employed Driver thing”
Shellshocker:
I’m in the North West, and work for an agency on an irregular basis on PAYE. I’ve taken some time off and was surprised to return to a £10 p/h flat rate, Night job. So I do it expecting something better to come along. But the agency is keeping me on this, I’m not happy and asked for a job that’s on a rate I’m used too of around £12 p/h, I feel that is fairly reasonable on agency. I simply want to clear near £500 per week.
Have times changed so much that getting £12 p/h flat rate with no benefits or guarantees you’ll have a job at all the week after too much to ask? They seem desperate to keep me on, and everywhere I look seems to be advertising for drivers, so am I being unreasonable?
£10 for nights on agency? They must be having a laugh surely?
Shellshocker:
I’m in the North West, and work for an agency on an irregular basis on PAYE. I’ve taken some time off and was surprised to return to a £10 p/h flat rate, Night job. So I do it expecting something better to come along. But the agency is keeping me on this, I’m not happy and asked for a job that’s on a rate I’m used too of around £12 p/h, I feel that is fairly reasonable on agency. I simply want to clear near £500 per week.
Have times changed so much that getting £12 p/h flat rate with no benefits or guarantees you’ll have a job at all the week after too much to ask? They seem desperate to keep me on, and everywhere I look seems to be advertising for drivers, so am I being unreasonable?
£10 for nights on agency? They must be having a laugh surely?
Keep turning down the work, and when they’ve run out of drivers to cover @ £10ph - then they’ll phone back offering more…and more - until someone bites.
The trick to higher rates at agency - is to be rather fussy about the shifts you pick up from that agency.
If the agency is awash with drivers of course, then the rate won’t go up, and you’ll know pretty quickly when a few weeks go by without a single shift.
Because signing up with an agency costs them some money in the admin time put in, the premium rate phone call to check your licence, etc…
You might as well admit when arriving to sign up that “Look pal, I want £15ph. If there’s no such thing at this agency, then just say so right now - and I’ll save you the next three hours of your “consultants” time, and that expensive DVLA phone call, and just move on”.
I’m going to put my money where my mouth is come this Christmas, as I’m currently now looking for another job (not leaving my current one as yet), and not very confident I can find a suitable full time job by that point.
I might even leave it until January - so I know the work offers are actually genuine ones, and not “just for Christmas” like the proverbial puppy!
Already the Supermarkets and Royal Mail can be relied upon to be offering over £15ph come Christmas run-up, but as always - “That’s not much good for January” is it?
I ain’t chucking my current job in just for a few weeks of flat-out agency work, then nothing.
£15ph minimum is what I’ll be chasing though. Watch this space. I’ll let you know if and when I achieve it, and with whom.
You see, I don’t mind agency work, actually like working nights and weekends, and can handle 12-15 hour shifts. “One Man’s Meat” I suppose.
The going rate is what gets you out of bed. If not you, then someone else.
Post Brexit, wages are likely to rise at agencies first simply because there won’t be any agencies “awash with drivers” any longer.
When there’s more shifts than drivers to fill them - the rates will have to spiral, or firms will have to start offering better and more lucrative full time positions that will tempt drivers back that have otherwise hung up their keys in despair.
