The number of supply teachers needing financial help from a charity to cover essential living costs has almost doubled due to coronavirus.
The Education Support charity, which helps struggling teachers with financial support and mental wellbeing, says it has received the “highest number of applications ever” from supply teachers since school closures on 20 March.
News of supply teachers’ increased demand for aid emerged after Tes revealed that thousands of supply teachers now face a daily battle to get paid, while many are confused as to who should be paying them. A union has warned that some supply teachers could be left only with the minimum wage due to pay arrangements with umbrella companies.
Exclusive: Fears supply teachers will only get minimum wage
Exclusive: Supply teachers’ ‘daily fight’ for pay
Coronavirus: Supply teachers unpaid due to ‘cash flow’
A spokesperson for the charity said: “Many supply teachers are embarrassed that they had to apply for help. It’s not something they’ve ever had to do before. Food vouchers, followed by rent and council tax, have been the top three needs.”
Coronavirus: Supply teachers suffer financial hardship
Meanwhile, some supply teachers are said to have found a “lifeline” providing online tuition.
Former teacher Simon Barnes, of TLC LIVE, an online tuition provider, said: “They’re doing a lot more hours with us because of the surge in demand for our services during lockdown, and their availability is naturally much better as they are not in school. Hopefully, it helps them make up any loss of income. Online tutoring has certainly been a lifeline for the supply teachers we work with.”
But supply teacher Tim Holden, who has researched government guidance on supply teacher pay and says he has advised more than 1,500 fellow supply teachers as to their entitlements over Facebook, said “There’s been an increase in online tutoring due to school closures, but for many this does not compensate for loss of income from supply teaching and things like exam marking and pre-exam tutoring.
“The financial hardship for many supply teachers will be felt for for many months to come and is likely to result in many leaving the sector.”
Between 17 March and 9 April, Education Support said it received 93 applications for help from supply teachers - an 86 per cent rise on the previous year’s figure.
“We’re small and our grants programme is awarded for specific needs so the figures are never huge, but it’s the highest number of applications we’ve received in a three-week period ever,” said the spokesperson.
The charity’s helpline is 08000 562561.
Meanwhile, supply teachers have welcomed “clearer” guidance from the government issued this week that supply teachers in local authority supply pools or directly employed by local authority schools or academies should continue to be paid by those employers during school closures.
The Department for Education has been contacted for comment.
