Finding the right Personal Assistant (PA) is important but can be tricky. If you want to employ your own PA and don’t have someone in mind, you will need to recruit one yourself.
Becoming an Employer
Being an employer can be overwhelming, but your Direct Payments Advisor can help with:
- Advertising for staff
- Interviewing
- Checking references
- Induction
- Writing job descriptions and contracts of employment
- Staff training
- Disclosure and Barring checks
- Employers Guide
As an employer, you must buy Employers and Public Liability insurance as per your Direct Payments agreement. Your advisor can provide you with the forms. The insurance is paid from your Direct Payment account, and you need to give a copy of the certificate to the Direct Payment Team. You must renew the insurance policy every year.
We recommend a full insurance policy with employment law specialist support. They will provide you with a 24-hour advice line for employment law and Health and Safety issues.
They can help with:
- Redundancy payments.
- Disciplinary procedures and dismissals.
- Employment statements and job descriptions.
- Notice periods.
You should ensure your PA has the right training before using specialist equipment. You can get training through the Direct Payment Team.
The Direct Payment Team offers training sessions through Sefton Carers Centre, including:
- Health and safety.
- Basic first aid.
- Food hygiene.
- Moving and handling.
- General risk assessment.
Your PA will get a certificate for completed courses. Contact your Direct Payments Advisor for more information.
You must determine if your workers are employed by you or self-employed. This affects their tax and National Insurance contributions. If you get it wrong, you might have to pay extra tax, national insurance contributions, interest, and penalties to HMRC
To check a worker’s status, go to Check employment status for tax - GOV.UK.
Once the status has been confirmed, this must be checked with the Direct Payment Team for further advice and support.
A Self-Employed worker cannot support you with personal care as this is a regulated service by the Care Quality Commission (CQC).