Personal Assistants

What is a Personal Assistant?

A Personal Assistant can be employed using Direct Payment funds to help support and enable citizens. Your role can be varied, here are just a few ideas of how support may be required:

• Support to access services e.g. leisure and social activities
• Promote independence
• Support with meal preparation and household tasks
• Accessing facilities and making use of public transport

 The aim of the role is to support citizens to achieve their goals.

How does it work?

Citizens with Direct Payments have the option of recruiting PA’s. This means that the citizens who choose this option will be employing you. They have the same responsibilities as any other employer. They will also use a payroll provider to ensure your PAYE is accurate and complies with HMRC.

You could decide to come together with others who wish to provide support to others by creating a co-operative of Personal Assistants. By working in this way you can offer support to one another, share ideas and details of local activities, create new social opportunities and exchange ideas on supporting people.

If you were interested in this co-operative model Care to Co-operate can support you with this journey, helping with the practicalities of the process.

This could benefit you as a PA as you could connect with several employers to boost your hours. It also benefits employers as working together can help prevent a break down in support for an employer.

What are the benefits?

Being employed means you will have the benefit of any other employee, such as annual leave entitlement, maternity leave and sick leave.

There is often flexibility with such roles, this flexibility works both ways.

You will also have the opportunity to access training and qualifications to further your own learning and knowledge.

You’ll be in a rewarding role, helping others to remain as independent as possible and help with isolation.

What if I’ve been out of work?

Firstly not all citizens are looking for PA’s with formal experience in similar roles. The chances are you have supported someone in your own life and this alone provides experience which others can benefit from.

Training is available and is strongly encouraged. Some training may be mandatory but there are opportunities to achieve this prior to starting or whilst learning your role.

Some Citizens only need support for a few hours a week, so this could benefit you and ease you back into work.

There are organisations which can also support you back into work helping to further your skills and confidence to enter work again.

Employing Personal Assistants (PAs)

If you choose to employ PAs using your Direct Payment there are a few things to consider. There are legal requirements and general good practice to adhere to, such as:

• Record keeping
• Using payroll and provide pensions where applicable
• Providing holiday pay and keeping a record of this
• Ensure employers and public liability insurance is in place
• Safe recruitment practice e.g. right to work checks and DBS checks
• Health and safety
• Access to training
• Providing contracts of employment

However the Direct Payment Support Officers can provide you with the necessary support and information in relation to all of above. You’re not alone taking on this new role, we are here to support and guide you through becoming an employer.

You can find more information about employing personal assistants by contacting the Direct Payments team on 01267 242324.

There is further information surrounding the employer role along with case studies on the Social Care Wales  hub.

Training

You will need to consider what training your PA may require. You can discuss training needs with the Direct Payments team.

Personal Assistant Vacancies:

Current vacancies are advertised on our Jobs and Careers page.

Alternatively, you can contact the Direct Payments team to discuss current vacancies on 01267 242324 or email DPPAApplications@carmarthenshire.gov.uk.