Care Assistant
Runwood HomesThe Breakroom Take
- Proper training
About Runwood Homes
Runwood Homes is a senior care home provider.
Job description from Runwood Homes
Care Home: Ivy Court
Hours per week: Bank hours
Salary: £12.72 an hour
About the role:
As a Care Assistant with Runwood Homes, you'll join a dedicated team united by a profound desire to positively impact the lives of our residents. We're seeking Care Assistants who are wholeheartedly devoted to supporting our residents in embracing life to the fullest, promoting independence within a kind and compassionate setting.
At Runwood Homes, our residents and Care Assistants engage in daily moments filled with joy, laughter, and purposeful activities that bring meaning to their lives. Your commitment to enhancing the well-being and happiness of those in our care is truly valued and appreciated. Together, we create a warm and welcoming environment where every moment counts.
Benefits of working with Runwood Homes:
- Accrued Paid Holiday
- Weekly Pay
- Pension Scheme
- Blue Light Card and access to various other discounts on travel, restaurants, days out and leisure
- Employee Assistance Scheme that is also available to immediate family members
- Comprehensive induction and ongoing training
- Free DBS Check and uniform
- Funding and support towards obtaining NVQs
- Opportunities to progress your career within the company
- Free, on-site parking
- Employee of the Month awards
About you:
We do not require our Care Assistants to have experience although it is beneficial. We are seeking individuals whose empathy and warm-hearted approach stand out. Successful Care Assistants will have a positive, can-do attitude and excellent communication skills. Each day will bring something new, making for a diverse yet incredibly rewarding role.
About Runwood Homes:
Established in 1987, Runwood Homes is a leading provider of residential care, dementia care, and nursing care services, with a portfolio of over 59 homes across the UK. Our commitment to delivering personalised care is at the core of our mission, as we strive to celebrate the lives of each and every one of our residents.
At Runwood Homes, we prioritise the professional development of our staff by investing in comprehensive internal, external, and e-training programs at all levels. This dedication to continuous learning and growth ensures that our team is equipped to provide the highest quality of care to our residents.
As we look towards the future, our reputation for delivering innovative care for individuals living with dementia continues to flourish. We are dedicated to pushing the boundaries of care excellence and setting new standards in the industry.
All appointments are subject to safer recruitment requirements to ensure the safeguarding of adults. All positions will involve appropriate checks and clearances.
You can apply for this role by completing our short application form or by visiting the home where one of our team can help you.
Closing Date
09-07-2026
Apply Now
Job insights from Breakroom
Care workers and assistants
Care workers and assistants help support people in their daily lives to live as independently as possible
What you’ll do as a care worker/assistant:
- Help with social or physical activities
- Household tasks, like cleaning and washing
- Support by preparing food, and providing help with eating and other tasks like bathing and getting dressed
- Check and monitor health and help with medication
Is it right for you?
This job may involve:
- Standing
- Heavy lifting
- Helping with personal care
- Physical activity
- Emotionally demanding duties
- Wearing a uniform
- Night work
- Long hours
- Anti-social hours
- Cleaning
- Working alone
What employees say
Pay
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Needs improving
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Most people aren’t paid a living wage
Do Runwood Homes pay care assistants enough to live on?
Most people are not paid a living wage.
How we know this
90% of people say they are paid below the Real Living Wage for where they live.Based on data from 20 people who took the Breakroom Quiz between April 2024 and January 2026.
Why this matters
Everyone should be paid enough to live on.
The Real Living Wage is a voluntary rate employers can sign up to that is based on the real cost of living.
The current rates are £13.45 per hour, and £14.80 per hour in London.
Find out more in our explainer about the Real Living Wage.
Needs improving
-
Most people are paid below market rates
Do Runwood Homes pay care assistants market rates?
Most people are paid less than average for their job.
How we know this
83% of people are paid below average for the type of work they do.Based on data from 23 people who took the Breakroom Quiz between March 2024 and January 2026.
Why this matters
Pay can vary a lot between types of job. Employers should be ensuring that the rates their staff are paid are in line with similar roles elsewhere.
Okay
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Only some people get paid breaks
Do care assistants at Runwood Homes get paid breaks?
Sometimes. Only some people get paid breaks.
How we know this
55% of people say they don’t get paid breaks.Based on data from 22 people who took the Breakroom Quiz between March 2024 and January 2026.
Why this matters
A good job should have paid breaks.
You should be paid for all your time at work, whether you’re on a break or not.
Needs improving
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Most people don’t get sick pay
Do Runwood Homes pay care assistants sick pay?
No. Most people don’t get proper sick pay.
How we know this
96% of people say they wouldn’t get paid if they were sick but scheduled to work.Based on data from 23 people who took the Breakroom Quiz between March 2024 and January 2026.
Why this matters
Everyone gets sick sometimes. You should be able to take time off without worrying.
At a good job you should still get paid if you’re scheduled to work but can’t due to sickness. Your contract should say how many sick days you can take each year.
At a minimum, everyone is entitled to Statutory Sick Pay (SSP) from the government. See Citizens Advice for more details.
Okay
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The job sometimes spills into unpaid time
Do care assistants jobs at Runwood Homes spill into time they aren’t paid for?
Sometimes. The job can spill into unpaid time.
How we know this
50% of people report that their job takes up time that they don’t get paid for.Based on data from 20 people who took the Breakroom Quiz between March 2024 and January 2026.
Why this matters
Everyone should get paid for any extra work they do, even if it is outside your contracted hours. At a good job, you should be paid for all the time you spend at work.
Hours and flexibility
-
Needs improving
-
Less than 4 weeks notice of shifts
How much notice do care assistants get of their shift pattern at Runwood Homes?
Most people don’t get 4 weeks notice of when they’re working.
How we know this
- 56% of people with changing schedules report getting one week notice or less.
- 17% of people with changing schedules report getting two weeks notice.
- 11% of people with changing schedules report getting three weeks notice.
- 17% of people with changing schedules report getting four weeks notice or more.
Based on data from 18 people who took the Breakroom Quiz between March 2024 and January 2026.
Why this matters
At a good job, you get plenty of notice about when you’re working.
This makes it easy for you to plan the rest of life, as well as your finances, because you know how much you’ll be working and when.
Good
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Most people don’t worry about their hours
Do care assistants at Runwood Homes worry about hours?
Most people don’t worry about getting enough hours.
How we know this
82% of people report they don’t worry about getting enough hours.Based on data from 22 people who took the Breakroom Quiz between March 2024 and January 2026.
Why this matters
At a good job, you shouldn’t have to worry about getting enough hours each week.
A good job should guarantee you a minimum number of hours in a contract, if you want it.
This makes it easier to plan your finances, because you know how much you’ll be earning.
Okay
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Only some people get a choice of shifts
Do care assistants at Runwood Homes get to choose the shifts they work?
Some people don’t get enough choice over which shifts they work.
How we know this
65% report that their manager doesn’t give them enough choice over which shifts they work.Based on data from 20 people who took the Breakroom Quiz between March 2024 and January 2026.
Why this matters
A good job is flexible around your personal life. This means you get a say in when you prefer to work.
Needs improving
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Hard to change shifts
How easy is it for care assistants at Runwood Homes to change shifts?
Most people find it hard to change shifts.
How we know this
69% of people report that it’s hard to change shifts if they need to.Based on data from 16 people who took the Breakroom Quiz between November 2023 and October 2025.
Why this matters
A good job is flexible around your personal life. It should be easy to change a shift if you need to, whether that’s in an emergency or for planning ahead.
Okay
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Can be hard to book holiday
How easy is it for care assistants to book a holiday at Runwood Homes?
Some people find it hard to book holiday.
How we know this
58% of people report it’s hard to book holidays.Based on data from 19 people who took the Breakroom Quiz between March 2024 and January 2026.
Why this matters
A good job should let you take time off when you need it, and it shouldn’t be a nightmare to arrange.
Okay
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Shifts can get changed at short notice
Do Runwood Homes managers change care assistants shifts at short notice?
Some managers change people’s shifts at short notice.
How we know this
53% of people say their manager changes their shifts at the last minute.Based on data from 17 people who took the Breakroom Quiz between April 2024 and January 2026.
Why this matters
If your manager is often changing your shifts at short notice that’s a sign of poor planning. At a good job you won’t be messed around at the last minute.
Needs improving
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Most people find it hard to take sick leave
How easy is it for care assistants to take sick leave at Runwood Homes?
Most people find it hard to take sick leave.
How we know this
86% of people report that it’s hard to take time off if they are sick.Based on data from 21 people who took the Breakroom Quiz between March 2024 and January 2026.
Why this matters
Everyone gets sick sometimes. You should be able to take time off when you need to.
A good job should support you when you’re unwell and have systems in place that will allow you to take time off to recover when you need it.
Okay
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Only some parents say it’s good
Is working as care assistants at Runwood Homes good if you have caring responsibilities?
Only some parents and carer say this is a good place to work.
How we know this
36% of people who care for a child or other relative report this isn’t a good place to work.Based on data from 11 people who took the Breakroom Quiz between August 2024 and January 2026.
Why this matters
Whether it’s looking after children or caring for a relative, a good job should support your responsibilities outside of work.
Workplace
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Okay
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Only some people feel treated with respect
Do care assistants at Runwood Homes feel treated with respect by their managers?
Some people don’t feel treated with respect by their managers.
How we know this
65% of people say they’re not treated with respect by their managers.Based on data from 17 people who took the Breakroom Quiz between April 2024 and January 2026.
Why this matters
Everyone should get treated with respect by their managers. You shouldn’t feel discriminated against or bullied, and if you have a problem you should be able to speak to someone about it.
Okay
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Only some people get proper breaks
Do care assistants at Runwood Homes get proper breaks?
Some people don’t get proper breaks.
How we know this
55% of people report that they don’t get to take proper breaks.Based on data from 20 people who took the Breakroom Quiz between March 2024 and January 2026.
Why this matters
When you take a break it should be a proper rest. It should last the full duration and you shouldn’t get pulled off it.
Needs improving
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Most people are stressed
Is it stressful for care assistants to work at Runwood Homes?
Most people feel stressed here.
How we know this
96% of people say they often feel stressed at work.Based on data from 23 people who took the Breakroom Quiz between March 2024 and January 2026.
Why this matters
Work isn’t always easy, but if you’re frequently feel stressed, that’s not good.
Your employer should support you with enough people and resources to get your job done without feeling overwhelmed.
Okay
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Only some people enjoy their job
Do care assistants at Runwood Homes enjoy their jobs?
Only some people enjoy their job.
How we know this
47% of people report they don’t enjoy their job.Based on data from 19 people who took the Breakroom Quiz between March 2024 and January 2026.
Needs improving
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Most people don’t recommend their team
Do care assistants at Runwood Homes recommend working with their team?
Not many people recommend working with their team.
How we know this
83% of people report that they wouldn’t recommend working with their immediate team to a friend.Based on data from 23 people who took the Breakroom Quiz between March 2024 and January 2026.
Why this matters
A good job means enjoying the place where you work.
The people you work with every day really matter. They can be the difference between a terrible day and a great one.
If you’d recommend your team to a friend, this shows that something’s going right.
Good
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Most people get enough training
Do care assistants get enough training when they start at Runwood Homes?
Most people got enough training when they started.
How we know this
83% of people report they got enough training when they started working here.Based on data from 23 people who took the Breakroom Quiz between March 2024 and January 2026.
Why this matters
A good job should give you good training when you start, not just drop you in at the deep end.
This means that you’ll be happier and more productive from day one and shows that your employer values you.
It’s also very important if your job involves anything that could be dangerous. Good training from the outset keeps you and your team safe.
Okay
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Only some people get support to progress
Are care assistants given support to progress at Runwood Homes?
Only some people are given support to progress here.
How we know this
In the last year, 53% of people report not being given an opportunity to get better at their job, learn a new skill, learn to manage a team or get more responsibility in their role.Based on data from 19 people who took the Breakroom Quiz between April 2024 and January 2026.
Why this matters
A good job should help you progress at work, if you want to. That might be supporting you to get better at the job you currently have, learn something new, manage a team or take on more responsibilities.
This means you’ll be able to build on your skills and experience, and earn more money.
Needs improving
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Head office doesn’t understand what’s happening
Do care assistants think Runwood Homes head office understands what's happening where they work?
Most people think head office doesn’t understand what’s happening where they work.
How we know this
91% of people think that this employer’s head office or owners don’t have a good understanding of what’s really happening where they work.Based on data from 23 people who took the Breakroom Quiz between March 2024 and January 2026.
Why this matters
At a good job, the role of head office should be to support the people on the frontline serving customers.
To do that properly, the company’s owners or head office need to have a good understanding of what’s really happening on the frontline. This is especially important when a company owns multiple locations.
Needs improving
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Most people don’t feel well informed by head office
Do care assistants feel well informed about how Runwood Homes is doing?
Most people don’t feel well informed about how the company is doing.
How we know this
86% of people feel that they aren’t kept well informed about how the company is doing as a whole.Based on data from 22 people who took the Breakroom Quiz between March 2024 and January 2026.
Why this matters
At a good job, there should be a supportive relationship between the people working on the frontline serving customers and the people who own the company or work in head office.
You should be kept informed about how the company is doing as a whole, both in good times and when things get tough for the business.
What Runwood Homes employees say about their job
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Best thing
The people
Worst thing
Doing 2 people s job and getting paid the same
Report this reviewEmployee at Runwood Homes, January 2026
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Best thing
Nothing
Worst thing
The company is the worst care company I’ve ever worked for, managers come and go and change everything for everyone and just expect everyone to fit everything in to a normal day
Report this reviewChef at Runwood Homes, July 2025
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