One of the many benefits of having a direct payment is being able to employ people to provide care and support to help you live more independently.
The person employed by the individual employer is called a personal assistant (PA). A personal assistant undertakes a wide range of care and support tasks and can make a real difference to the independence of the person they care for.
If you or someone else employs staff to provide your support, the person acting as employer will have legal responsibilities and obligations; you need to be aware of these before agreeing to take up a direct payment. It is up to the employer to ensure that they are aware of, and comply with these responsibilities.
This page gives a brief summary of employers’ responsibilities and is for guidance only. It does not cover all situations and is not a full statement of the law. The contact list at the end tells you where you can get more information.