Do self employed carers still exist?

[nannynick]

Hi, first time posted in Carer's forum so be gentle please

I have been approached about providing care for a disabled child. The parents would pay using Direct Payments. The parents say that the Direct Payments people have told them that they can use a self-employed carer, or that they can employ someone as a carer for their child.

I thought that tax rules had changed (in 2005 I think), so carers are not self-employed, but instead are either employed via an agency, or employed directly by the person requiring the care (or guardian of that person, when that person is a child).

Anyone able to confirm what the situation is regarding self employed carers - do they still exist?

Some additional information which may be needed:
Care is to be provided at the home of the disabled child (though to include trips out of the home).
Care to be provided on a regular weekly basis, though times/dates to be agreed between parents and carer.
Carer cannot provide a substitute in the event of the carer not being available.

i maybe able to help with this, i have 3 children with autism, we get direct payments 28 hours per month per child, we have 3 workers, we get paid by social services and we employ the workers, payroll services help with the paper work, i phone the hours in each month and they send me the payslips, i then send them the cheques and payslips

I thought that the disabled person or their parent/guardian had to employ you as a PA ?? As you say, that is the only version of this that I have met in the last few years.

wouldn't it be easier for the whole thing to go through a care agency, as you suggest? there must be reasons for wanting it as you explain it, but just wondered. People can set up a contract arrangement with an agency for one particular worker, but the bonus is that they get cover anyway if their usual carer is on hols or sick. It sounds a whole lot better to me...