Explore the path to becoming a PA Employer. This is broken down into 7 easy steps.
Becoming a PA employer involves considering a significant amount of information. This can feel overwhelming, especially if people have several other commitments. It may not be as onerous a task as first anticipated though.
Find out what you are responsible for when you employ PAs, including administrative responsibilities, keeping your PAs safe and making sure their have the information they need.
When you become a PA Employer there are certain legal responsibilities that you take on. Whilst these might seem daunting at first, it is important to know that you can get a lot of support to understand these and to meet the responsibilities you have, from both an Independent Support organisation and your Council.
Find out what training is available to PA Employers to support you in your role.
Find out what a payroll service is an how it can help you manage wages, holiday pay and other things when you employ a Personal Assistant.
Find out what Outcomes or Personal Outcomes are, and why they are important to PA Employers.
Find out whether you can employ a family member as a Personal Assistant, and what you need to consider.
Find out how to request information to check that any new PA you plan to employ is allowed to work with children or vulnerable adults. You can also find out about the upcoming changes to the PVG scheme for PAs, which come into force in April 2025.
The Personal Assistant (PA) role involves much more than personal care. There are many potential roles and responsibilities for a PA which should be specified prior to recruitment.
It is important for anyone considering taking on a PA to understand the difference in employment status between an employee and a self-employed PA. This can affect their legal relationship and financial agreements between them. Find out more about how to determine if a PA is employed or self-employed.
Find out more about how to recruit for PAs, including where to get support with recruitment, where to advertise and how to do interviews.
PA Employers need to treat their PAs fairly and not to discriminate against them on the basis of a personal or 'Protected Characteristic', such as their gender, age, sexuality, ethnicity or martial status.
What your new PA needs to know on their first day, and suggestions for things to cover with them so they get off to a good start in their role.
A closer look at what costs a budget needs to cover when employing staff, like the basic rate of pay, and how to allow for costs that might or might not happen
Find out more about your legal duties as a PA Employer when it comes to health and safety, and how to complete a risk assessment.
It might not always be appropriate for Personal Assistants to administer medicine and in many cases training by professionals is required which will be the responsibility of the employer but PAs have responsibilities here too.
This article explains what Employers' Liability Insurance is, why PA Employers need it, and how to get it.
PA Employers who employ at least one PA have to put any PAs who are eligible into a pension scheme. Find out how this works and where you can get help to set up a pension for your PAs.
This includes an example of the information that a PA Employer can include in a contract of employment for a PA.