Before your Personal Assistant starts

You must have an agreement, 'contract of employment', between you and your employees so that you are both clear about each other's responsibilities.

• Setting up a contract of employment
• Contract of employment template

You can do this yourself or use a payroll scheme, such as a local accountant or a Direct Payment, personal health budget or user led support organisation

• Information about paying your Personal Assistant
• Information from HMRC
• Employment status for tax - GOV.UK
• Pay and work rights helpline
• Payroll support - Independent Lives
• Payroll support - PayPacket
• National Payroll Services

• Understanding the employment status of your Personal Assistant in Care
• PA working and CQC registration exemption

• Acas have a helpline for anyone who needs employment law or workplace advice

As an employer, you have a legal duty to help your Personal Assistant save for retirement.

• Read more about providing a pension in the section 'Paying your personal assistant'.
• The Pensions Regulator - contact page

Redundancy is when you ask your personal assistant to leave, either because you do not need to employ them anymore or because you need to reduce the number of staff you have

• Information about redundancy
• Redundancy information from Acas

Your Personal Assistant is entitled to have maternity, paternity, adoption and parental leave and pay

• Information about maternity, paternity, adoption and parental leave

You have a legal responsibility to make sure that your Personal Assistant remains safe and healthy whist doing their job.

• Health and safety information including a downloadable checklist
• Health and safety executive
• Risk assessment template

Individual employers need to have employer's liability insurance to make sure that you and your personal assistants are protected if an accident or incident happens.

• Information about insurance
• You must get liability insurance if you become an employer, read more about liability insurance from GOV.UK
• Carer and personal assistant in Care insurance

Vehicle insurance

It is important you check with your vehicle insurance policy and/ or Motability scheme / private lease terms when allowing others to use your vehicle.

• Motability Scheme 'Your Drivers'