[Ricardohx4]

Hi All

Unfortunately I’m struggling – my 17 year old niece is currently a learner but I’m looking at engaging her as my “personal assistant” – don’t get me started, they can’t supply anyone even though I qualify as I’m struggling to keep day to day life running.

shes not my ideal, but as she’s at college me having to employ her, and do a wage slip and report to HMRC (no I’m not even kidding?!? Wtf?!) I think she’ll pass her test very soon also.

so if I can tie all the ends up and she understands this isn’t a jolly, I need jobs actually DONE!…

The Kia Picanto was my fave out of the cheapest, it’s alas now disappeared – it was only £55 a week

i hate the Hyundai i10, but love the look of the imminently arriving Picanto.

itll have to be auto, and suit both of us although I admit right now I can’t drive – we must all dream and hope, has anybody seen the new Picanto and has anyone had a new v young driver?

is anyone also stuck single and in this “hire your own employee bollx”???

shocking it really is

Topic

[DumfriesDik]

I have my own PA funded by direct payments. It has its challenges when setting up but once its ticking over it is great.

Get yourself an accountant to do the financial stuff, your scheme may insist you use one of their approved ones.

Get a contract, do just go into it blindly and ignore this little bit of red tape. It is worth its weight in gold. In the contract you will stipulate all the things you need. Hours, pay, holidays and duties etc. Make sure you both understand the get out clause, who knows but you may need it and all this will protect you.

In my experience you will find holidays and sickness the hardest to deal with. So having a plan B is a good idea.

Finally, if your scheme insists on you keeping records, be sure to keep them, file away everything you get as you may be glad one day, that you did! My scheme use PrePaid Financial Services for banking and it’s a dog of a pseudo bank.

Best wishes and if you have any questions fire them over.

• This reply was modified 1 year, 12 months ago by DumfriesDik. Reason: best wishes added

Skoda Enyaq Race Blue

[Ricardohx4]

The irony is, and thanks for coming back, I’ve a diploma from CIPP after 20 years in payroll….

But… I’m not well. Not well at all. And morphine etc, wtf is going on when a single disabled person needs to do that – 2 hours a week would do me???

Im very newly poorly and still young – how do I know what days or jobs I’ll need…

it’s disgusting- last year I could walk and clean.. it’s a new disease I’ve just gone 40 and a single person

[swwchris]

I have a lot of experience of direct payments and employing a PA. You are certainly correct when you say its not easy to find one, unfortunately I also have to say its always best to find someone who is not a family member (generally it cannot be someone living in the same house as you) although the one positive is that you already know the person you are employing (a lot of councils have a ‘Find a PA’ website).

I have worked as a PA in two different local authorities and both strongly advised using an organisation to manage payroll and steered the person I work for towards that organisation. Adult services also pay the extra weekly charge made to handle payroll, so costs are covered.

One thing I would say is that the direct payments system works extremely well in most cases so good luck with it and finding a car.

[swwchris]

With regard to the car make sure there is no misunderstanding between you and your 17 year old niece. The car can only be used for your benefit so her potentially using it 24/7 is not allowed, problems can occur if for an example there were an incident of some kind involving the car and it became obvious it were being used for general use, driving to college each day etc

[Ricardohx4]

Thank you both – right that’s given me food for thought.

it’s a minefield so your advice is much appreciated:)

Thanks, Rick

[Author]

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