I'm looking for a personal assistant

If you need help with everyday tasks such as getting washed and dressed, going out, preparing and cooking food, or with healthcare tasks such as taking medication, a Personal Assistant (PA) may be able to help with your care and support.

Employing your own PA can give you more choice and control over who cares for you and what tasks they do, to help you live more independently.

A PA can help with many daily tasks including:

  • personal care
  • help with meals/food preparation
  • domestic tasks
  • health related tasks such as medication support
  • help living independently
  • getting out and about in your local community
  • access to work, education and learning.

For more information, read our factsheet on how to find a personal assistant.

Personal Assistants at Home Network accreditation scheme

You can find a list of PAs who are available to work in the Notts Help Yourself Personal Assistant Directory.

PAs listed on Notts Help Yourself that have the Personal Assistants at Home Network logo with their details means they have successfully completed the Personal Assistants at Home Network accreditation scheme.

The accreditation scheme includes:

  • training and access to over 130 courses
  • references available on request
  • enhanced Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) check.

Visit the GOV.UK website for more information on a DBS check.

If you are currently employing a PA and would like them to complete the Personal Assistants at Home Network accreditation scheme, they will need to apply themselves. There is a monthly fee for the benefits of access to the network. The PA has the right to decide if they want to join.

Employing a PA

You can employ a PA if you:

  • have a personal budget Direct Payment (Local Authority)
  • have a Personal Health Budget (NHS)
  • pay privately (self-funding).

If you employ someone as a PA, you are their employer and you have legal responsibilities as an employer. 

Before you employ a PA, you will need to:

  • decide if you want to manage all recruitment and employment responsibilities yourself. If you don't, you will need to register with our accredited Direct Payment Support Service for assistance with recruitment and employer responsibilities, including payroll. Other Direct Payment support services are available, you can find Direct Payment support services on Notts Help Yourself
  • ensure the necessary checks have been completed, such as Right to Work, enhanced DBS and references
  • make payments to your PA
  • pay HMRC monthly
  • have Employer Liability Insurance
  • manage your PA's working time, role and tasks carried out, holidays, sickness, and training.

Note that you can't pay your PA cash in hand and support for all of the above employer's responsibilities is available.

For more information, read our factsheet on employing a Personal Assistant.

Self-employed PAs

Some PAs are registered as self-employed and if they have evidenced this to us, you do not hold the employer’s legal responsibilities. 

Self-employed PA’s have their own responsibilities, such as paying their own HMRC payments, having their own Liability insurance, providing their own enhanced DBS check, and issuing invoices for support provided. All of which need to be evidenced upon request.  

Enhanced DBS check for PAs

It is council policy that if you receive a Direct Payment, any PAs that you employ must have an enhanced DBS check. This includes family members, friends or anyone that provides you with PA support. We will cover the cost of the enhanced DBS check if the PA is employed through a Direct Payment and not part of the Personal Assistants at Home Network. 

To request an enhanced DBS check for your PA, visit our DBS checks for personal assistants page.

If your PA is self-employed, they will need to pay for the enhanced DBS check themselves. If your PA is a member of the Personal Assistants at Home Network, the enhanced DBS check is included in their membership.

Further information about employing a PA

The Skills for Care website has many useful resources about employing a PA:

 

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