GOV.UK has tips on employing someone if you decide to use your direct payment to hire a person directly. If you get direct payments and recruit a self-employed care worker or contract with an agency, you won't have the responsibility of being an employer.
You can find out whether someone is self-employed or if they count as your employee by using HMRC's employment status indicator online tool.
You may still need advice on, for example, recruitment, taking references, background checks and insurance.
In some situations, employing a family member to provide care or administrative support may be an option. However, the council needs to agree it is necessary for you to use direct payments to employ a spouse or partner, or a close relative you live with.
For example, during the care planning process, you may explain that only the family member could fulfil the role - for example, for religious or cultural reasons.
If you choose instead to use an agency for your care services, they will take on many of the employment responsibilities.
When choosing an agency, you'll need to decide what sort of service you're looking for and the tasks you need help with. It's a good idea to contact more than one agency as they may offer different types of services.
You can find out about local home care agencies by:
- asking social services
- getting in touch with direct payments support services
- contacting the Homecare Association
- speaking to other people who get direct payments
- contacting the Care Quality Commission, which regulates all care providers
Find out about having care at home.