Care package for staff at Abbey aims to save bank £500,000 a year

Abbey has launched a new emergency care service for its employees that could save the company £500,000 a year.

The bank has teamed up with care provider My Family Care to provide a 24-hour database of contacts through which Abbey staff will be able to source care services.

The programme will provide three packages to its workforce - emergency childcare, out of school care and emergency homecare - providing immediate access to certified and accredited carers for unexpected periods of care while employees are at work.

Abbey has estimated the savings to the company of having its employees at work, rather than on leave, as in the region of £500,000 a year.

Annette Lawson, policy and diversity consultant at Abbey, said: "Breakdown in care is one of the most stressful things for an employee to deal with. From our employee feedback, we pinpointed this as one area where we could provide a service for the carers that will help them in their day-to-day lives."