Personal assistants, care workers and support workers

PAs, care workers and support workers can provide a range of support.

Homecare is tasks like:

• cooking
• washing and getting dressed
• helping you use the toilet
• collecting prescriptions

Home help is work around the home like cleaning and gardening.

Other support includes:

• support with budgeting and managing finances
• help with medical appointments
• creating support plans
• providing emotional support
• helping you socialise

PAs and support workers can have specific job titles for the type of support they provide:

• Access to Work support worker
• adult support worker
• communication support worker
• community support worker
• disability care support worker
• healthcare or health support worker

When looking for support, you should discuss what you want. Check if they are the right person for you.

People often use the words ‘personal assistant’ and ‘support worker’ to mean the same thing. You might see an advert or speak to an agency where they use either job title but the role and duties are the same. Speaking to the agency or looking at the role and responsibilities can help you understand if the person is right for you.

Support from someone you know

You can employ someone you know.

If your local authority agrees, your support can be someone you live with. Your local authority will only do this when they think it is the best way for you to get the care that you need.

Your relationship may change if you employ someone you know. You should be able to trust them with your wellbeing and things like money.

For example, if they buy you something from the shop, do they give you the right change? The relationship still needs to be professional even if you are friends.

If you want homecare, you will need a social care needs assessment to check if you are eligible for support from your local council. If you are, the council could arrange homecare for you.

You can also arrange and pay for it yourself.

If you want to arrange your own homecare, you can use a homecare agency or employ your own care worker. You can find an agency through:

• your local authority’s adult social care services 
• Homecare Association
• National homecare providers (NHS)

You can check the quality of the agency through the Care Quality Commission (CQC) website.

Most councils do not pay for home help. Some charities provide home help, but you may need to pay for it.

Get help at home (British Red Cross)

Home help (Age UK)

There are various ways to get a PA or support worker.

Contact your local council’s adult social services for a social care needs assessment. You may be entitled to social care support. This might pay for your care partly or fully.

Local authorities can charge for care and support following needs assessments. Most people will have to pay something towards the cost.

Financial assessment for social care

Social services will assess you to find out what you need. You have the right to choose who looks after you. You do not have to accept the PA or support worker your local authority provides.

If you do not qualify for social care support, you can choose to:

• pay a support worker through a care agency or other support services
• employ a PA or support worker

You do not need a referral to do these.

You can also appeal if you are assessed as ‘not eligible’ for support you need.

Challenging or complaining about social care

Who has to pay towards their social care

It is important to understand what you need to do legally when employing someone. There are rules that apply if you are hiring someone to work for you and you have a contract. You are an employer. They are an employee.

These rules do not apply if an employer, such as a local authority or care agency, provides your PA, care worker or support worker.

Employing staff for the first time (GOV.UK)

Employ someone: step by step (GOV.UK)

Directly employing a care worker (Carer’s UK)

You can find a PA, care worker or support worker through a care agency or support service. We have information on using a care agency.

You can ask your local council for a list of care agencies in your area within your budget.

You can also find an agency on:

• Housing Care services directory
• Carehome Selection Healthcare
• Homecare
• Care Quality Commission (England)
• Care Inspectorate Wales (Wales)

You can also try to find support services from:

• your local Citizens Advice
• online national support services, like Independent Lives
• leaflets in GP surgeries, libraries, day centres, places of worship and cafes
• local groups and peer support in person or online
• local disability rights services

There are a few ways to pay for support using your personal budget.

Use your whole personal budget (direct payments) yourself to meet the needs of your care assessment.

• Decide what you want to spend your personal budget on to meet the needs of your care assessment and ask a social worker to set things up for you.
• Use part of your personal budget to find someone for a specific period or task. Your local authority will spend the rest on your other care needs.
• Your local authority finds someone for you from an agency.

Managing a personal budget

There are options for when your PA, care worker or support worker is unavailable at short notice or a planned absence.

If you are using an agency, they should provide a suitable replacement for you.

If you are employing someone, you can sign up to an agency in advance. They will be able to do risk assessments and understand your needs. You are not guaranteed support from the agency but it is a possible option. It may cost more to use an agency.

In an emergency, you can also contact your local council safeguarding team to ask for support. They might be able to meet some of your most urgent needs at short notice.

If social services have organised your support, they have a duty to provide it.

Access to Work is a government grant scheme which supports disabled people in work.

Access to Work might pay for a:

• PA or support worker
• British Sign Language interpreter
• job coach
• travel partner for commuting

To be eligible for a grant, you must:

• be over 16
• have any condition or impairment that affects your ability to do your job or travel to work
• be in or about to start paid work

You will have to pay for your own support worker if:

• you are not eligible for a grant
• your funded support does not include a PA or support worker

We have more information on the Access to Work grant scheme.

There are different types of support in education depending on where you live.

In England

Your child could get Special Educational Needs (SEN) Support at school. Support can include a support worker.

If SEN Support cannot meet your child's needs, you can apply for an Education Health and Care Plan (EHCP).

EHCP support will vary. This may include a personal budget, which gives you more control over the things the EHCP says your child needs. Not all local authorities allocate personal budgets through EHCPs.

You cannot pay for a PA or support worker yourself to go into your child’s school.

In Wales

Wales has Individual Development Plans (IDP), reviewed at least once a year. The IDP should say what support your child will have, known as additional learning provision (ALP). This could include a support worker. You cannot pay for a PA or support worker yourself to go into your child’s school.

Individual Development Plan (SNAP Cymru)

Funding for alternative education support

If your child is not educated in a school setting, you may be able to get some financial support to pay for a support worker.

Some local authorities may offer grants.

Find your local council (GOV.UK)

You might also get some financial assistance from:

• SEN Support
• an EHCP