I have an adult daughter with disabilities who receives Direct Payments from our local authority. We have never employed anyone as a PA as to be honest we have never had anyone that I felt was so good that they were worth the effort I would have to put in so we always had the option of people from a local agency who invoiced us, we paid it and job done.
I use 2 agencies and the one carer from one of the agency we use is leaving as she has a dispute with them over holidays and time sheets I regularly had to chase them up for invoices for days the carer worked but they never got back to me and it was all chaotic.
To cut the story short she is leaving the agency and I would like her to work with my daughter. She is a lovely person, kind, well qualified and I don’t want to lose her. She works full time but is available weekends and school holidays. However as it will not be done through an agency now I have been told I either have to become her employer and do all the paperwork, liaising with HMRC, working out a contract etc and I just don’t want the responsibility or the hassle. My daughter regularly has on average 2 hospital appts up in London a month and also at the GP surgery. I have a mother in a care home who I have POA for and regularly involved there too- visiting/ Hosp appts etc. I don’t want to add to my overflowing plate.
The other option is that the carer works on a self employed basis and she takes responsibility for public liability insurance, getting a new tax reference number for the hours she works as self employed as opposed to being an employee etc etc.
Anyone on here employ PA’s? Is it as daunting as it seems to me?
The only positive would be she would see more of her money without an agency taking a chunk of it away. Is there anyway round it?
Hi @Diane_1605123 welcome to the forum my best advice is speak to the carers helpline for advice or citz3n advice on the matter. A PA is a carer who you employ to help my advice on the matter is you would have to do the leg work like DBs, send them on courses etc, though I think some council might know firms or have people on their books to do it. The other thing is to monitor your daughter accounts as she would need 2, her own and one to pay the pay but if there is a shortfall in the account for the PA, some banks will take it out of your own personal account and not tell you until you check. Also watch who you employ as there many flyby nights people out there and could take advantage. I am sorry to sound negative but it was a mix blessing when we tried it for mum.
Hi @Diane_1605123 your local authority should be able to put you in touch with a payroll charity/organisation who do all this for you. All you should have to do is sign the timesheets the paid carer completes.
When my son had DP’s the council arranged a payroll service, but would only pay PA’s, not the agency. I was only told this about 6 weeks after they’d been taken on! Make sure you understand the implications for holidays, pregnancy and illness. You might be left with nothing, but better than being with an agency and little choice who they send?
Agree with @melly1 excepty you’d still be responsible as their employer. That includes things like arranging cover for sickness/holidays, making sure other support hours are covered (you can do this on a mixed package - using an agency for some hours and your favoured worker for the rest), Health and Safety and training. You need to find out what assistance is available in your area from the payroll agency, who should assist with all of that. Not forgetting relevant insurances!
We use Penderels they sort out the insurance, pension paperwork etc too. The LA include the insurance in the costings.
When Pendrels were managing M’s Direct Payments they sent thousands back to the Independent Living Fund (who were paying for his care at the time) without ever telling us how much was available!
@bowlingbun at the time S’s DP was set up they were the only option.
They aren’t the most efficient, but thankfully they’ve never sent S’s money back!!