My girlfriend has worked for a domicillary care company since January this year. During last holiday year she accrued 6 days paid holiday, which her employer did not encourage/allow (told her there was insufficient cover at end of the year) her to take, but that she would receive it as extra wage. They have since being stalling every month and not paid any owed money.

She also had to pay for her own CRB, on the premise that it would be refunded after 13 weeks (I believe her contract states this), but again, they keep informing her it will 'be in her next wage'.
I was wondering what steps to take to get this money back, and if the owed holiday is something they have to do (contract states its not transferable between years, but again she was told otherwise).

She won't see that again.

Any company that does not insist on its employees taking their full allocation of leave isn't worth working for.

I expected as much. Shes leaving, her last day on Saturday thank god. Might write them a letter mentioning Citizens advice if the CRB money doesn't appear.

Small claims court is the better route, and do it don't just bluff.

Too right.

In addition, we have been told we MUST take our minimum holiday entitlement each year, it's the law apparently. We were once allowed to carry them over, but this has now stopped and so has payment in lieu.

if that fails, try a letter mentioning a new hammer

no but, just keep at them and like already said don't bluff. You have to be persistent with these sorts of things, my brothers girlfriend had a similar experience and they gave in eventually after lots of emails and phone calls. They seem to think most people will just give in.

Is she self employed by any chance/bank staff?

Nope, on an 18 hour contract. Although somehow she only has 6 hours scheduled this week; thankfully shes just started a new job. The way this and her previous company operate is a joke. Allowing people to work without a CRB, trying to avoid holiday pay, sick pay etc., an overnight break of around 6-7 hours between shifts. I could go on.

I'm surprised Sal hasn't been on to tell Ashley his GF should simply take the money out of her company expense account

Glad to hear she is getting out of that!
Where i work at a large Bradford based supermarket chain we will be allocated holidays if we don't book all our holiday hours by September.

That'll be a fun game later this year!

My company is the same RE allocating holidays.

Company expenses account? Haha thats a funny joke. They barely pay mileage. Although apparently you can claim tax back on this.

Ashley – is she staying in the same line of work?

She might wish to consider joining a union – this is exactly what they exist for.

Are these people involved in caring for people? If so, PLEASE report them to the regulator.

A very valid comment.

Unfortunately, the care 'industry' (I hate calling caring that) is faced with councils etc that are desperate to cut cash, and crappy contracts – including zero hours, no pay while travelling between visits – are as much a result of that as are calls themselves often being limited to just 15 minutes.

The care business (Better Minty?) model is close to collapse. There isn't the money about to sustain them as businesses at the moment, costs are being cut by councils everywhere, the whole idea of closing hospitals for those with LD, although a great idea, is causing huge issues with finding suitable replacements at the same cost.
It can't be done.

Meanwhile, the companies involved are cutting staff numbers, using nul hour contracts and only increasing hourly rates (already low considering what the job entails) and starting to panic as people are looking to leave. Bear in mind that these companies should all be training their staff (which doesn't come cheap), any amount of staff turnover is going to harm the bottom line.

FTR I've just got out of the business, and have gone into a specialist area of education. Guess what's happening there too? To education...?

Something is broken too badly to fix.