Carers in the UK: Questions asked by Unpaid and Paid Carers!

Navigating life for carers in the UK can be overwhelming. When you’re taking on the role of caring for someone else you may feel like you need to know everything. But this often isn’t the case. From the legal stuff to claiming any benefits or support that is available to you, it is crucial that you get access to the information you need. 

But don’t worry. You won’t have to trawl through the internet looking through all the conflicting information. Instead, we’ve put together ten of the most asked questions by carers in the UK. Hopefully, this will clear some things up for you and make life just a little easier. 

Are you an unpaid carer looking for support? Or a paid carer preparing for an interview? Check out all the answers below. 

And don’t forget to bookmark this page so you can refer back to it when necessary!

Here are the questions we are going to answer: 

How do I register as a carer? 

How to become a live-in carer? 

How to become a self-employed carer

How do I register as a carer? 

There are a number of ways that you can register as a carer. From letting your local council know to getting in touch with your GP, it is crucial that you make people aware. This is so important because it means that you will be able to access any support that is available. 

Register with your GP 

Letting your local doctor’s surgery know that you are a carer allows them to support you. This includes:

• Making you aware of the carer’s yearly flu jab 
• Talking to you about the impact your role as a carer is having on your mental health
• Support with physical health issues 
• General information and advice 
• Access to helpful services and organisations 
• Provide you with more flexible appointment days/times 
• Refer you for a Carer’s Break payment 

Telling your local council 

By informing your local council you may also get access to practical help that could improve life as a carer and reduce stress. This could include respite care to provide you with a break when necessary. To get access to extra support you will need to obtain a carer’s assessment. All carers are entitled to this from their local council. 

Obtaining a carer’s assessment 

You should get a carer’s assessment so that you can look at how your role as a carer affects your work and life. But it is important to remember that a carer’s assessment isn’t a test or exam that judges how well you care for someone. Instead, it looks at how you can be additionally supported. The assessment will discuss things such as:

• The amount of time you spend caring for the individual 
• The sort of tasks you help them with (eating, bathing, shopping) 
• How caring has an impact on your mental and physical health 
• Whether you have any time for your own work and family life alongside your caring responsibilities. 

You should get in touch with the council that covers the area where the person you care for lives and you may be able to request this through their online website. 

How to become a live-in carer

There is a range of different roles for carers in the UK and in some cases, live-in care may be more appropriate for the type of care required. In particular, many older people prefer to have live-in caregivers so they can feel safe and secure while still in their own homes. But providing home care means that you need to build a respectful relationship so that you can care for and support them in an individualised way. 

Here are some of the basic requirements for live-in care roles: 

• High standard of spoken and written English 
• Right to work in the UK 
• Professional and personal references 
• Ability to run a home 
• Cleaning skills 
• Clear occupational health and police checks (DBS checks) 

It is important to remember that different employers will have different rules and regulations. But be sure to get your CV and experience in order before applying for different jobs to help increase your chances of landing your own live-in carer role. 

Carers in the UK: How to become a self-employed carer

Have you been working as a carer while employed by a limited company or care agency? Want to go it alone? If you want to enjoy the freedom of choosing your own clients and setting your own hours then you may be considering becoming a self-employed carer. With an ageing population and a national carer shortage in the UK, carers are in high demand. 

So here are the first steps you need to take to become a self-employed carer: 

1. Get Qualified 

While there are no legal requirements to have carer training, you can get NVQs, diplomas and certificates that will help you generate more trust with potential clients. Attaining relevant qualifications shows that you care and are committed to your role and have the expertise required.

2. Register with HMRC

Whenever you take on a self-employed role you need to declare yourself as self-employed to the HMRC to be registered in England. This means that you will be able to do a self-assessment tax return when required and make payments through it. 

3. Get Your DBS Checks 

Providing care for another individual will require you to have an enhanced DBS background checks (previously referred to as a CRB check). It is important that you get this in progress as soon as possible as it may take a few weeks to come back.

4. Get Insurance

When working with the public in any way you need to have carer insurance, and this is also true when you are a self-employed carer. You will need public liability insurance and should think about getting business equipment insurance too. 

5. Set Your Rates and Get Clients 

Now that you have anything in the order it is time to set your rates. You may find it difficult to set your rates, especially considering you want to make a profit but don’t want to charge too much. 

You should research what rates other self-employed carers charge in your area and think about your insurance, travel and care equipment before setting a price. 

Now you just need clients! We would recommend that you market yourself both online and offline and prepare to make some investments to help you get noticed. Other ways you can attract new clients are posting on social media, placing posters in community centres and local libraries and registering with care.com. 

Being a carer isn’t easy but having the support and resources around you can make life a whole lot easier. Are you looking for a carer role and want some help on how to best answer interview questions?

Check out our most commonly asked carer interview questions here!