How personal assistants help provide care
Care workers or personal assistants can help your parent live independently in their own home.
They may be provided directly by the local council (or Health and Social Care Trust in Northern Ireland), with everything arranged for your parent. But if you decide to appoint one directly, using your parent’s money or with direct payments, there’s a lot to think about
What can a personal assistant do for your parent?
In short, the role of a personal assistant is to help your parent lead as independent a life as possible in their own home. They may work for only a few hours a week, or several hours each day (or night) and help with a range of tasks such as:
- personal care, such as washing, dressing and using the toilet
- preparing meals
- shopping, paying bills or collecting your pension
- help with medication
- driving or helping you get around, and
- supporting family carers when they need a break
If you think your loved one would benefit from support at home, you’ll need to ask their local council for a care-needs assessment to get the ball rolling
Using direct payments to appoint a personal assistant
It’s estimated that there will be more than a million personal assistants working in the UK by 2025
If your parent is eligible for funding for care at home, you can choose to get the payments paid straight into their bank account. That means that instead of having a personal assistant provided by the council, you can employ them directly or appoint a home care agency to do it for you
Using a home care agency
For many people, this option is a lot less hassle. The agency will handle all payments, taxes and insurance, as well as doing police checks and following up references. However, you may not always have the same person visiting your parent’s home. And, of course, it costs more – allow an extra £5 to £10 per hour, depending on your care needs and where you live
To find an home care agency, visit the UK Home Care Association (UKHCA) website
Employing a personal assistant directly
Clearly there are some benefits here. Appointing someone yourself, gives you more choice and control over who cares for your parent and what tasks they do. But it also immediately turns you into an employer, with all the legal, financial and practical issues that entails. So before going down this road, there’s a lot you’ll need to think about.
Recruitment
Unless there’s someone you know (perhaps your council or agency carer) you’ll need to advertise, interview and carry out checks. You won’t be able to pay a friend or family member unless they are a registered carer. Recruitment agencies may charge you, but it may be worth it for the added peace of mind
Right to work in the UK
As an employer, you must make sure that any prospective worker is eligible to work in the UK before you employ them. Ask to check people’s passports or other ID to prove they’re from the European Economic Area or have a visa to work here. Remember to keep a copy of the paperwork
For more information on the right to work in the UK, visit the Home Office website
Criminal Records Bureau (CRB) checks
You must get a copy of the CRB check for anyone you’re looking to employ before you interview them or let them into your home
Get more information about CRB checks on the Gov.uk website
If you live in Northern Ireland, you will need to ask your local trust or a local voluntary organisation to make the request for information to the CRB on your behalf
Employment contracts
You’ll need to provide a written statement of employment, including the specific tasks the personal assistant should provide, place of work, working hours, pay rate, duration of employment and holiday entitlement
Pay and tax
You must pay your parent’s personal assistant at least the minimum wage – realistically, you’re talking about £10 an hour, or closer to £12 if their care needs are more complex. You may also be responsible for deducting tax and National Insurance from their wages.
Time off, sick pay and holiday pay
Not only will you have to pay, you’ll also need to find replacement cover. Your carer or personal assistant has an entitlement to:
- rest breaks
- a maximum number of working hours in any week
- holiday pay, and
- sick pay (in most cases).
Insurance
As an employer, you must take out Employer’s Liability Insurance and Public Liability Insurance. Your direct payments should be able to help towards the cost of this, but it will depend on your local authority
Managing personal budgets
In some cases, personal assistants can receive and manage direct payments from the council – usually on behalf of someone who lacks the mental capacity to do so themselves and usually because the person’s family has requested the arrangement
Clearly there are risks and, in particular, vulnerable adults must be protected from fraud. Therefore, before agreeing to such an arrangement, the local authority must be satisfied that the personal assistant or carer is a ‘suitable person’ and will act in the best interests of the client
Ask your local authority to provide written details about their process for ensuring that a personal assistant is a ‘suitable person’
This article is provided by the Money Advice Service.
