Articles

Working as a Self-Employed Carer

11/10/2015

There are many advantages and disadvantages to becoming a self-employed carer, as well as legal considerations that must be taken into account.

One of the main advantages of being a self-employed carer is that you can control the hours and rate of pay. This gives you complete flexibility.

In order to become a self employed carer there are several things that you must do:
 

Register with the tax office as self-employed.

You will need to register your status as self-employed with the HMRC at the following link:  https://www.gov.uk/topic/business-tax/self-employed

This will enable you to pay your own taxes and national insurance contributions to avoid falling foul of the law, and is overall a pretty straightforward process.
 

Get organised.

If you are serious about being self employed, you are essentially going into business. Remember that if things do not go well and you cannot find work, you will not be liable to receive benefits, and this could put you in a precarious situation. Therefore it makes sense to construct a business plan. It makes sense to have clients ready or to at least have a plan put in place regarding your target demographic. You should make a company name and make a plan regarding the amount of hours and costs, plus a target salary. Think about how you can make yourself available and known to the community. Do your research!
 

Get insurance.

This is a must for self-employed carers who are likely to run into difficulties at some point. Public Liability Insurance is designed specifically for carers. Again, do your research about the most cost effective package for you.
 

Draw up contracts which outline your services and remuneration.

If possible, enlist the help of a lawyer to oversee a contract which has legal standing. Include things that protect you as a worker, otherwise you might find yourself sued. As long as it is clear what services will be offered and what compensation you want in return, as long as the client signs you will be protected.

In this contract you should devise points that cover your hourly rate and also make vacation time flexible but fair.

The contract ought to be drawn up with whoever is paying you, not necessarily the person who you will be caring for.
 

Market yourself

Use facebook groups and other social networking sites such as LinkedIn to get your services out there. Get a professional CV written up. Undertake qualifications and be sure to emphasise your strengths. Why should the client enlist your services? Sell yourself by showing off your skills and experience.
 

Interview Clients

Here are a few questions you should consider before taking on a client.

- Is the client right for you?

- Are they making unreasonable demands?

- Are they willing to pay the agreed rate?

- Is it a good working environment?

 -Do they smoke or have animals that you are unwilling to work alongside?

- Do they have changeling behaviour or are they aggressive?

- Can you manage what they want alone ( heavy lifting might not be possible for example)?

All of the above questions are just the tip of the iceberg of what you ought to know before taking on a care role. 

 

Written By:

Daniel James
www.danieljamesbio.com
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