Interested in becoming a Microprovider or P.A.?
PA or Micro? What’s the difference?
The term Personal Assistant or P.A. is a familiar one to many. In social care it has been used for many years to describe someone who offers support to individuals who wish to purchase and direct what they receive rather than support from an agency or other service.
The terms under which a P.A. may work can differ – they may be self-employed or employed. This status is determined by HMRC and the way in which the support provider operates. To understand this better, it is important to read this document Understanding the employment status of PAs (skillsforcare.org.uk)
Devon County Council recognises many people wish to purchase self-directed care and that they may wish to either a) employ someone to do this or b) engage a self-employed person.
To distinguish employed and self-employed people, Devon are also using the term Microprovider to refer those who are confirmed as self-employed and are running their own mini-business, whether as a sole trader or as a small group.
Since 2022 Devon County Council has worked with Community Catalysts to offer support to people wishing to set up as Microproviders. In 2024 they have partnered with Disability Focus to continue this support.
If you are interested in providing care and support to people at home or in your local community – whether that’s to deliver personal care, help around the house, or help for that person to get out and about – you may wish to consider contacting the Microprovider Project Worker for Devon simon.tickner@disabilityfocus.org .
As well as advice and signposting, there may also be the opportunity to join the advice and support programme. Details of the programme can be found HERE. The programme is free and aimed at people who wish to offer support to adults with care and support needs in Devon. It is suitable for those who also are fully committed to ensuring their micro-enterprises are set up legally, safely and sustainably.
Working as a PA or Microprovider
You should be willing to provide the following (as a minimum) for the person that you are working for:
- proof of your right to work in the UK
- any relevant training and qualifications
- previous employment references
- if you are self-employed, your HMRC confirmation of registration as self-employed
- if you are self-employed, proof of liability insurance
- a current Disclosure and Barring (DBS) check
FAQs – see separate page
Training
It’s important to develop and maintain your skills and knowledge as a P.A. or microprovider so that you are able to offer good quality care and support to people.
Take a look at our PA training page, we are currently able to offer a range of part- funded online training
Wellbeing
The Wellbeing for Staff includes information on all areas of wellbeing. Please see national, local resources and tools for all staff across adult social care. Ways to look after your wellbeing, self-help, build resilience and how to get support when you need it.
Advertising your service and finding new clients
Many personal assistants (PA) and micro-providers running their own micro-enterprises will have be familiar with Pinpoint and the PA Network in 2023. Due to a number of contributory factors, this is now no longer available. The Pinpoint web address will remain available for a period of time in 2024 with a page that will be signposting to other information sources and directories.
To find details of PAs who were on Pinpoint at the end of December 2023 please go to devon.cc/find-a-pa.
Self-employed providers of care and support may also advertise themselves on this site Devon | Small Good Stuff– see more details below.
Please note that PAs/ Microproviders registered to receive ‘PA shout out’ notifications continue to receive these. This service is still operational. If you are not already registered, we would encourage you to do so. To register to receive notifications of new business (i.e. customers with Direct Payments) through this service, please follow this link and sign up to receive these alerts.
Microproviders can use Devon | Small Good Stuff as an alternative location to advertise and promote their services. Please note that to list your services on Small Good Stuff, you must run a small local enterprise providing care or other types of support. This site is for individuals (or small enterprises ) working as sole traders, but strictly excludes PAs that are employed directly by their customers.
The directory is simple and easy to sign up to, but we recommend reading the step by step guide and tips on writing about your service before heading to the registration page here. Once you have registered, you will receive your login details and can begin to create your online profile. Please note it may take up to 10 days to approval your registration once submitted.
Please note that any queries about registration and setting up your profile will need to be directed to Contact Small Good Stuff | Small Good Stuff
PA and Microprovider WhatsApp groups
There are WhatsApp groups for PAs split into North, East and South Devon. This is a place to connect PAs / Microproviders together, sharing advice and top tips as well as alerting each other to packages that are available or need cover.
If you would like to join a WhatsApp group, please ensure you have read the PA WhatsApp guidance v3.docx (sharepoint.com) When you make your request to join, please ensure you have downloaded the app onto your mobile beforehand. Please use the list below to tell us which of the three groups (you can join more than one) you would like to join and send it to us: socialcarebusinessrelations-mailbox@devon.gov.uk. We’ll need your full name and a mobile number.
| WhatsApp groups | Market towns |
|---|---|
| Zones 1 & 2 – Northern WhatsApp group | Bideford, Northam, Holsworthy, Great Torrington, Ilfracombe, Braunton, Barnstaple, South Molton, Lynton/ Lynmouth |
| Zones 3, 4 & 5 – Eastern WhatsApp group | Cullompton, Tiverton, Crediton, Exeter, Sidmouth, Honiton, Ottery, Seaton, Axminster, Exmouth |
| Zones 6,7 & 8 – Southern WhatsApp group | Ashburton, Buckfastleigh, Newton Abbot, Dawlish, Teignmouth, Totnes, Dartmouth, Tavistock, Kingsbridge, Ivybridge, Okehampton, Mortenhampstead |
Parking Permits
Exemptions for care and health workers – Roads and transport (devon.gov.uk)
DBS checks
PAs cannot access this service themselves; the process is that you need to ask your client (Direct Payment clients only) or their appropriate adult to request the DBS check by speaking to their local Arranging Support team at the Council, who will be able to assist in arranging the DBS check on their behalf.
- North Devon: ASTAdvisorsEast@devon.gov.uk or ASTSelfDirectedSupportEast@devon.gov.uk
- East Devon: ASTAdvisorsSouth@devon.gov.uk or ASTSelfDirectedSupportSouth@devon.gov.uk
- South Devon: ASTAdvisorsnorth@devon.gov.uk or ASTSelfDirectedSupportnorth@devon.gov.uk
If you have recently got a DBS in place, it is useful to sign up to the DBS update service as this allows you to keep your DBS certificate up to date and allows any new client/employer/DCC to check your DBS certificate online. There is an annual fee of £13 for this service.
If you are a self-employed PA or Microprovider providing care to non-direct payment clients (private customers not funded by DCC) then you are still expected to have a DBS however this would not be sourced through the DCC Arranging Support Teams. There are a few different services in the community that offer DBS checks for PAs or Microproviders (some free or at a small cost). We recommend you search around for the best service to suit your needs. For example, National Association of Care & Support Workers – Home (nacas.org.uk) or Independent Living Group.
Training opportunities
If you are interested in learning new skills or developing your career, there is lots of training available for PAs:
- We post updates about PA training on the workforce development pages of PEN
- You can access helpful information and training support through Skills for Care
Part- funded eLearning courses for PAs
Grey Matter Learning is an award-winning eLearning provider in the social care sector. They are a recognised Skills for Care ‘Centre of Excellence’. You can access over 100 social care eLearning courses, all in one place! DCC have partnered with Grey Matter Learning to provide social care courses for all Devon providers in 2022 including regulated, unregulated, private, independent, and personal assistants.
If you would like to know more and to create an account please contact Ruth Haynes on ruth.a.haynes@devon.gov.uk
PAs working together as a group
Devon PAs and Microproviders are making a valuable contribution to their communities in providing personalised care to local people. We are aware that some PAs or Microproviders organise themselves to work together in groups.
We would advise those working in this way to ensure that they are not working beyond the exemptions that exist for PAs or Microproviders in relation to CQC registration.
The guidance about ‘ongoing direction and control’ can be found on the CQC website .
We would advise any PAs or Microproviders that are working together to review this guidance as they may inadvertently find themselves in scope and required to register.
Further useful information on this issue can also be found on the Skills for Care website: PA working and CQC registration (skillsforcare.org.uk)
‘Frequently Asked Questions‘ section.