Overwhelmed with employing a PA.

BiscuitBiscuit

Hi everyone,

I am so overwhelmed with becoming an employer with my direct payments.

I feel I have a very unique set of circumstances and I desperately need help in fully understanding things.

I have recently been awarded direct payments, I feel my situation is unique, because my PA is also my friend, I take up a lot of my friends time because I am autistic and agoraphobic, and there are a lot of things I am only able to do with my friends assistance, without my friend I an housebound.

On my care plan t's 10 hours a week, but it's not always the same 10 hours, so how do we write that into a contract?

For example next week, I have an appointment on Tuesday, and an appointment on Wednesday, on those days we will also do other things in my care plan, like go for walks and go shopping.

But as my PA is also my friend, I might also go to her house on, for example, Thursday evening, or Friday morning, we might even do similar things that are in my care plan, because I enjoy doing them, but for those moments we will be doing them as friends, not PA/employer, this is all confusing me so much on the legal side of things and insurance.

Sometimes we are going to start the day off in the role of pa/client, but then it becomes us as friends, for example:

She may pick me up at 9:30am, take me to an appointment, make a phone call for me, take me shopping and then we will go for a walk, that might take up 5 hours of her time, but then her care role will end and I'll go with her to pick her children up from school, and then go back to hers for the evening for tea, that's as friends, not PA and client.

Also I have read that my friend needs business car insurance, but sometimes I'm going to be in her car her friend, not her client, so how do we work this out?

I also have questions about the amount, I haven't had my financial assessment yet (that happens next week), the estimated budget they've given me is £146.97 per week, but out of that they need to fund 10 hours for my friend/PA, plus they'll also need to factor in employers insurance, NI and tax, plus holiday pay? Plus money for a payroll service?

I have asked on Facebook, but I still have so many questions that I am hoping somebody here can help me to understand.

I also have questions about the disability related expenditure, should I perhaps open a different thread for that?

Holly_Scope

Hi @BiscuitBiscuit I see why this is somewhat complicated for you both. I think, perhaps the best way to look at it in this situation is maybe take an overarching view of a longer period of time, say a month, and come to an agreed value based on the average work/friend split. Because it sounds like the work/friend balance can fluctuate, by looking at a larger period and agreeing an average value it covers those times when the balance might be higher or lower on individual days. I hope I've explained that ok.

It also might be an idea to have a chat with Carers UK. I've added a link to their website, a page dedicated to direct payments which has some helpful information. However, if you were to give them a call, they might offer you some additional advice on setting this up, especially relating to your NI, tax, and holiday questions - Direct payments | Carers UK

With regards to the disability related expenditure, it might be a good idea to create a new thread as it'll help you to get more views and advice. ☺️

BiscuitBiscuit

Hello 👋 👋,

Thank you both so much for your responses, the information you've both given has already eased my mind a little bit, there seems to be so much to understand with this process.

My financial assessment is tomorrow.

BiscuitBiscuit

I find it very reassuring that we can have a simple employment contract, we do obviously spend time together as friends, so I was worrying quite a lot about how that's worked out with insurance, but now I think that perhaps I was overthinking that.

Am I right in thinking that my friend will need to get business insurance for her car?

BiscuitBiscuit

This is the letter I have (original assessment date was June 26th but we moved it to tomorrow) it says it's a light-touch financial assessment, so it's a bit confusing.