Using a personal assistant

Having a direct payment and employing a PA gives you:

Choice - you choose who provides you with support and who you employ as your personal assistant.

Independence - a direct payment enables you to live independently in the community.

Control - you are in control of how your care and support needs are met and what this looks like for you.

Flexibility - you are able to arrange for your support needs to be met when it suits you.

Creativity - you can use your direct payments to meet your needs in a way that suits you.

Wiltshire Centre for Independent Living (Wiltshire CIL) have a dedicated Direct Payment Advisor Team who can support people to become an employer, and with recruiting a PA. There is a lot of advice and information around recruiting PAs on Wiltshire CILs website including template job descriptions and adverts.

Wiltshire Centre For Independent Living (opens new window)

Wiltshire CIL has a PA Register (opens new window). The register is a website where employers can advertise what they are looking for in a PA, and PAs can share what they are looking for in a job. Anyone can browse the register and see job adverts without needing to sign up. Putting a job advert in your local amenities is also a great way to recruit a PA.

Becoming an employer can be a daunting thought, but the Direct Payment Adviser Team at Wiltshire CIL are on hand to guide and support you through every stage of managing a DP. Wiltshire CIL provide a range of support to direct payment recipients, including:

• Explaining direct payments as an option and what they can be used for
• Information and advice on budgeting
• Employment rights
• PA Recruitment and retention
• Insurance
• Payroll / pensions
• How to be a good employer
• DBS Checks
• Personal Assistant training

With the right support, PAs can be a great way to provide the flexibility many people need to live an independent life.

Help and Advice (opens new window)

Disability Rights fact sheets and contracts (opens new window)

Skills for Care provide funding on a range of training for PAs and carers. Moving and handling, for example, or writing contracts. Wiltshire CIL also run great courses that are free, supported by useful advice, and in-person events.

Skills for Care (opens new window)

Wiltshire Centre for Independent Living (opens new window)

As an employer, getting the best out of your PA is important. It is great to be aware of what is available to you and your PA, such as free training and funding for courses. It is important to encourage your PA within their role and keep on top of supervisions where you make time to talk and be conscious about showing your appreciation for the job they do. Treating your PA as an equal can help build a good working relationship. Having respect for your PA will encourage them to stay in their job role longer. 

These checks used to be called a CRB check but are now called Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) checks. Please follow the link for more information.

Disclosure and Barring Service (opens new window)

Being an employer requires learning to be assertive and define your expectations as clearly as possible. This helps to create a good relationship.

Remember that a transition from family member or friend to PA, might not be smooth in the beginning, and there might be teething problems. There will be times when family members need to step in unexpectedly, for example when a PA is sick. Keep in mind that having a PA is better in the long run because it gives the disabled person much more freedom, and it means that they can spend time without their family or guardian.

Some PAs may be better suited to certain roles. Every PA will be expected to manage general care and hygiene, however, there may be particular things, like going for a night out, that you might choose to do with a certain PA.