Resources

Free guidance, templates and step-by-step guides on managing your own budget and employing support staff

We know that starting out with a Direct Payment and becoming an employer of your own support staff can seem daunting. So we have made free-to-use resources to support you to be a confident and professional employer of Personal Assistants.

Please refer to the below sections, to find out more. The resources are structured so that you can read guidance to explain what you need to know, then apply this by using the templates.

Large Print Direct Payment resources

Large print versions of guidance, templates and step-by-step guides on managing your own budget and employing support staff.Read more

Audio Direct Payment resources

Audio versions of guidance, templates and step-by-step guides on managing your own budget and employing support staff.Read more

1. Getting started on Direct Payments

2. Recruiting a Personal Assistant

3. Making a Job Offer (Employing a Personal Assistant)

4. Getting your Personal Assistant started

5. Managing and Supervising your Personal Assistant

6. Ending your Personal Assistant's employment

7. Additional Information for employers

Personal Budgets from a local authority explained

Personal Health Budgets explained

Educational & Health Care Plans explained

Individual Service Funds explained

Money resources

Pre-paid cards cards explained

Resources for Personal Assistants

We have collated free resources that are useful to Personal Assistants. If you have any to share let us know!Read more

Latest

Dementia Friendly Worthing

Services and activities in Worthing for people with dementia, their carers and family.

Senior Support Worker (Nov18)

£19 380 annum plus additional on-call rate of £25

Senior Supervisor

£24 480 annum plus additional on-call rate of £25

Getting out and about with Cycling without Age

Cycling Without Age Brighton & Hove's volunteer cycle pilots take local elder care homes residents out on cycle rides to feel the wind in their hair!

Contact us

Payroll

Employ care and support staff but find payroll daunting? Our dedicated payroll team can help.

We offer a complete payroll package, guiding you through legislation and advising you on pensions, tax, national insurance, maternity pay, sick pay, tax credits and student loans.

About our Care Service

Our Care Service provides quality care and support across West Sussex. We can provide you with the assistance you need to manage many aspects of daily living, helping you to stay independent

Working at Independent Lives

Exciting new opportunity available to work in Independent Lives

What we do

Independent Lives is a user-led charity working with disabled people, people with support needs, and carers, to enable people to lead full, active and independent lives.

Direct Payment Information & Advice Service

Direct Payment Information & Advice Service offers you support face-to-face, via Zoom and over the phone. You can also access free guidance, template and other resources.

Recruitment Solutions

Recruiting a new Personal Assistant can be expensive and time consuming. Our Recruitment Solutions service allows you to plan ahead for unexpected recruitment costs and simplifies the recruitment process.

Disability Related Expenses explained

Social groups

This page is full of social groups and activities - as well as links to other organisation's social calendars. Get social with like-minded people, from coffees - to online forums - take your pick!

Banking Administration Service

Want to take control of your care and support without the added responsibility of managing a Direct Payment bank account? Our Banking Administration Service is for you.