Last month official figures identified that there were over 4,000 unfilled vacant teaching posts in England ( this figure does not include the additional posts where the teacher appointed is waiting for CRB check to be completed) In social care Local Authorities have been having such problems in recruiting and retaining staff that they are even going as far away as South Africa for staff. Often the staff who come over find that the cost of living compared to the pay is not worth it and leave. The average basic earnings in this country is £19,406 per annum.   2/3 of local govt staff earn less than £13,000 a year even after this year's pay rise. Vacancy rates vary around the country and in different sections but average out at around 1 in 4 posts being a long term unfilled vacancy. These are a group of people who provide local services to all of us and to whom we entrust our most vulnerable people, the disabled ,the young and the elderly, and who if (god forbid) anything goes wrong get crusified by the press. Yes we do go into public services because we want to make a difference but you don't get quality services from an overworked underpaid stressed workforce many of whom are leaving because they cannot afford to stay, and are fed up of having to claim means tested benefits just to eat.