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. 2021 Apr 23;4:39. [Version 1] doi: 10.12688/hrbopenres.13256.1

Table 20a. Estimated unit costs for a publicly employed, community based, Care Assistant (Disability), 2016–2019.

BASELINE (OVERHEADS 40%) 2016 2017 2018 2019
Cost component
A Wages/salary 31,409 32,159 32,815 33,253
B Salary oncosts 9,148 8,995 8,855 9,339
C Qualifications - - - -
D Overheads 12,564 12,864 13,126 13,301
E Capital overheads 5,376 5,455 4,377 4,474
F Travel - - - -
G Total costs (∑A–F) 58,496 59,472 59,173 60,368
Working time
H Number of hours worked per annum 1,689 1,679 1,683 1,684
I Ratio of direct to indirect time - - - -
Unit costs
J Unit cost per hour (G/H) 35 35 35 36
Cost component Description Sources
A Wages/salary Annual mean whole-time equivalent basic salary for Care
Assistant (Disability) (CAD).
HSE (2020) Health Service
Personnel Census
HSE, 2020a
B Salary oncosts Pay Related Social Insurance (PRSI) Contribution, calculated at 10.75–
10.95% of annual mean WTE basic salary for CAD for the period
2016—2019.
Superannuation: weighted average of the public sector pension
contribution rates for pre-2013 and post-2013 pension cohorts
estimated by DPER (with adjustment for the Pension Related Deduction/
Annual Superannuation Charge). Average pension contribution of 15–
19% over the period 2016—2019 for publicly employed CADs.
DEASP, 2019, DEASP, 2020
DPER, 2017a
DPER, 2017b
Personal communication
with IGEES, DOH,
04/01/2021
Personal communication
with IGEES, DOH,
22/01/2021
C Qualifications Not included in this analysis
D Overheads Estimated overhead costs for utilities (e.g., light, heat, telephone,
internet), accommodation costs, office facilities, and general supplies
as well as administrative and management staff costs using available
guidelines. Baseline estimate of 40% of basic salary.
DOT, 2009
HIQA, 2018b
HIQA, 2020
DPER, 2019
Curtis & Burns, 2019
E Capital overheads Estimated capital overhead costs based on average capital costs
estimated by the Personal Social Services Research Unit.
Estimate of 11–13% of total salary (basic plus oncosts) for the period
2016—2019.
Curtis & Burns, 2018; Curtis & Burns, 2019
F Travel Not included in this analysis
H Number of hours
worked per annum
Total number of days worked per annum (number of working days in
a given year minus annual leave entitlement and estimated sickness
absence days) multiplied by number of hours worked per day.
Leave entitlement:
HSE, 2009a; Personal
communication with HSE,
04/02/2021
Absenteeism:
HSE, 2017; HSE, 2018; HSE, 2019a
HSE, 2019b
Number of hours per
week/day:
Labour Relations Committee, 2013
I Ratio of direct to
indirect time
Not included in this analysis