Personal budgets and direct payments

You may decide that you can afford to pay for help privately, if you do arrange support privately then you should remember that, regardless of your financial circumstances, you may be entitled to state disability benefits which could help to meet the costs of support at home. 

Paying a personal care assistant directly gives you greater control over the kind of care provided.  

If you employ someone to provide care and support for you, either privately or using a personal budget, you will act as their employer, which has certain practical, legal and financial implications, including:  

• recruiting the care worker, and checking references, DBS and right to work 
• drawing up a contract of employment and agreeing the hours of work
• paying income tax and national insurance 
• arranging insurance cover in case of accidents 
• arranging alternative care whilst the personal assistant is on holiday or ill, or if they resign 
• enrolling them in a pension scheme if they meet certain criteria. 

The Pensions Regulator has information for people who employ someone to provide care and support explaining what they need to do for the people they employ.

Find out more about employing your own care and support:

• Employing Personal Assistants
• Hull Choices and Rights Disability Coalition