What is a self-employed carer?
A self-employed carer is in business for themselves. GOV.UK describes a self-employed person as someone who runs their business for themselves and takes responsibility for its success or failure. In care that usually means the carer:
- has several clients, not just you;
- sets their own rate and invoices for the work, or is paid through a platform;
- decides how they deliver the care you agree, within their training;
- pays their own tax and National Insurance and holds their own insurance.
Self-employed carer or care agency
| Self-employed carer | Homecare agency | |
|---|---|---|
| Who you deal with | The carer directly | The agency, which employs or engages the carers |
| Price | The carer’s own rate | The agency’s rate, which includes its running costs |
| Choosing the carer | You choose, and usually see the same person | The agency allocates carers; continuity varies |
| Checks | You ask for and check the documents | The agency carries out recruitment checks |
| Cover for absence | You arrange it | The agency arranges it |
| Regulation | See CQC registration below | The NHS says all homecare agencies must register with CQC |
Checks to ask for
An agency does these checks for you. With a self-employed carer, you do them, or use a service that has already reviewed the documents:
- Identity and right to work in the UK. See the original documents or a share code check.
- An enhanced DBS certificate with the adults’ barred list, the level for personal care. Check the certificate’s level and date; it has no official expiry date, so you decide how recent is recent enough. See the DBS guide for carers.
- References, ideally from recent care work. Phone the referees rather than relying on a letter.
- Training: the Care Certificate standards for someone new to care, and current certificates for topics like moving and handling, safeguarding and medication. See the mandatory training list.
- Insurance: public liability, and professional indemnity insurance that covers the care they will give.
- Professional registration, for a nurse: search the NMC register to confirm they can practise.
Are they self-employed, or would you be their employer?
This matters, because an employer has legal duties. GOV.UK says that if you employ a carer or personal assistant, you must check they can work in the UK, have employers’ liability insurance, register as an employer, run payroll (even if you pay in cash) and deduct their Income Tax and National Insurance. Employees can also be entitled to a workplace pension, sick pay and paid holiday.
Whether someone is employed or self-employed depends on how the work really happens, not on what you call it. If you set their hours, tell them how to do the work and they work only for you, they may be your employee. GOV.UK is clear that you cannot ask an employee to become self-employed. HMRC’s Check employment status for tax tool gives a view on a specific arrangement, and Skills for Care publishes a toolkit for people who employ a personal assistant.
Do self-employed carers need to be registered with CQC?
The Care Quality Commission (CQC) regulates personal care in England. The NHS says all homecare agencies must register with CQC.
For individual carers, CQC’s guidance says registration is not needed by a carer or personal assistant directly employed by the person or a related third party, working wholly under that person’s direction and control. CQC also says care workers must work as individuals, not in partnership, to be exempt. Other arrangements depend on the facts, so if you are unsure, ask the carer how they work and check CQC’s guidance.
Agreements, payments and holidays
Put the arrangement in writing before care starts. Cover:
- the care and tasks agreed, and anything the carer will not do;
- the days and times, and how changes or extra hours are agreed;
- the rate, how it is paid and when;
- cancellation and notice periods, on both sides;
- what happens if the carer is ill or on holiday;
- who to call in an emergency.
Pay against a record of the hours worked, and keep it. A self-employed carer does not get holiday pay or sick pay from you; their rate is meant to cover that.
How VerriPro checks Professionals
VerriPro is not a care provider or employer. It connects clients with independent Professionals who manage their own services and schedules.
Before a Professional can be found or booked on VerriPro, they upload photo ID and proof of address, right to work, an enhanced DBS certificate, qualifications and training certificates, professional indemnity insurance and, where the role needs it, NMC, HCPC or GMC registration, and give two references. A member of the VerriPro team reviews them and approves the profile. If a required document expires, the Professional cannot take new bookings until a valid replacement is approved.
The checks are made on the documents the Professional provides. They are not a guarantee, so still satisfy yourself that a Professional is right for the care you need. You pay through VerriPro, not the Professional directly, and if something goes wrong you can raise it in the app within 3 days of the visit; the Professional’s payment is held while the VerriPro team looks into it.