HUNDREDS of social workers are forced to cover essentials for vulnerable people from their own pockets, research has revealed today.

The government’s new Crisis and Resilience Fund may still fall short of preventing front-line workers from having to step in to support people in crisis, according to the Social Workers Union (SWU).

The fund, due to begin on April 1, is intended to provide faster emergency support for households in hardship.

Research among SWU members uncovered hundreds of social workers saying they have felt compelled to personally fund basic items from food to energy prepayment meter top-ups.

In the survey of more than 380 workers, 75 per cent said they were unable to claim back the costs they incurred on behalf of service users.

About 87 per cent had to buy food, while 36 per cent paid for public transport, 26 per cent for clothing, 24 per cent for cleaning supplies, and 29 per cent for energy top-ups.

SWU general secretary John McGowan warned the findings expose a “broken support system,” saying: “It cannot be right that social workers are left to plug the gaps in a broken support system with their own money.

“The true test of the new fund moving forward will be to see if it means that local and national governments act urgently to ensure help is there when it is needed.”

Asked why they had resorted to providing direct financial support to service users, one social worker claimed that their local authority “has restricted foodbank vouchers to three per year,” while another stated that their “service user was unable to access internet or navigate lengthy online forms.”

One member said that there just was no longer any support left to apply for.

The government was approached for comment.