Becoming an employer
Employing someone to help you can be complicated.
If you need help with day-to-day living you may decide to employ
a personal assistant (PA) to help you. The implications and legal
responsibilities involved in deciding to do this can seem daunting.
The information and links below can help you deal with the basic
issues and legality associated with employing your own staff.
Skills for Care PA Toolkit
Skills for Care have a comprehensive toolkit to support people
to employ their own personal assistants. It covers everything
related to employment including recruitment, induction, training
and supervision, payroll, tax and National Insurance, sick pay and
maternity pay, health and safety, pensions and insurance and record
keeping. Sample documents like letters, adverts, interview
checklists and contracts of employment are also provided.
Skills for Care
PA Toolkit
Personal Assistants Network (PA Network)
The PA Network includes information and advice for personal
assistants and information on their legal responsibilities for the
people who employ them.
PA Network
website
Working Together information pack
Action on Elder Abuse have produced a
multi-media information pack providing information on how to safely
recruit and work with personal assistants. The pack includes a DVD
and a written information guide which can be purchased separately
or together. Copies are available by contacting Action on Elder
Abuse.
Tel: 0208 835
9280
Penderels Trust
If you have a Direct
Payment as part of your Self-Directed Support and
wish to employ your own support worker, Penderels Trust can assist
you with recruitment and all employment issues. This includes a
payroll service so that you do not have to worry about Income Tax
and National Insurance payments.
Penderels Trust are the organisation contracted by the County
Council to provide service users with a Direct Payment
support service. To find out more visit their website.
Penderels Trust website
The booklet Direct
Payments in Cambridgeshire: your questions answered
includes information about being an employer.
More information
about Direct Payments
Training
The county council's Quality and Workforce Development Team
offers free training and includes three Direct Employer Training
Advisers. Training includes induction and health and safety as well
as topics relating specifically to direct employment.
Quality and Workforce Development
Tel: 01223 715958 / 715953
Email: workforce.development@cambridgeshire.gov.uk
Cambridgeshire Care Training Network (CCTN) can offer
funding support for qualifications subject to your meeting
requirements for direct employers.
CCTN
website
Cambridgeshire Alliance for Independent Living offers peer
mentor training. Visit their website below for more
details. With sponsorship from the county council they have
developed an Employright booklet - a
practical guide to using your Personal Budget and Direct Payment to
employ your own staff.
The
Cambridgeshire Alliance for Independent Living