Personal assistants – 1:1 support for people with disabilities

Personal assistants (PAs) help people with physical or learning disabilities to live independently. 

Personal assistants for disabled people are not the same as support workers, who are employed by a support provider, instead they are hired privately. You can still receive funding to hire a personal assistant if you have a disability but get more choice in who supports you than you would with a support worker.

PAs are more than employees. As with many jobs of this type, PAs can offer real friendship and even an older sibling dynamic, so it’s essential to find someone you really get on with.

What help can personal assistants provide?

Personal assistants for a person with disabilities can provide one or more of the following support. You may choose different assistants for different needs, or have one who helps with everything.

• Washing and dressing
• Eating and drinking
• Taking medication
• Preparing meals
• Housework
• Shopping
• Going to work or education
• Recreational activities such as clubs, sports, theme parks, museums, cinemas etc.

Rowanna Bennett, whose brother Joseph has a disability, says: “From my experience interacting with my brother and his PA, Bernard, I believe that the relationship created can be incredibly beneficial and rewarding for both parties. For my brother, a PA means experiencing new things and creating new memories which may not always be accessible to them.

“Joseph’s PA is not just someone doing their job, he’s a friend. It is also clear that it is more than just a job to Bernard as well. This is evident by his dedication to Joseph, from the toy cars bought for him with Bernard’s personal money to his regular phone calls to check in on my brother during isolation. I feel with the right match of PA to client, a special and very valuable relationship can be created which far surpasses ‘just doing my job.’”

Who pays for them?

You should be able to receive funding for a certain amount of hours a week through benefits (usually Personal Independence Payment). As this is so highly individual, the best course of action is to speak to your local council about applying for funding. They can assess your needs and decide how much funding you need.

Alternatively, you can pay privately, if you can afford it. This allows you to choose how many hours you’d like a personal assistant for and you can hire more than one. As an employer, you will need to comply with the law, such as paying them National Minimum Wage or National Living Wage, making sure the number of hours they work each week is legal and declaring their income to HMRC.

Vicki Raphael, whose son has learning disabilities, says: “Having supported my son to find and keep PAs for the last 17 years since he left school, I would say that having plenty of examples of how my son has developed, his history, his must-haves and must not haves, are essential to any recruitment conversation, interview or induction. I mean solid person-centred plans and a clear emphasis on the importance of family and friends alongside paid employees.

“Training people has its value but fostering great attitudes and recognising and rewarding what individual PAs can bring to the variety and opportunity of the life of a person who needs extra support is the magic ingredient.”

What is it like to be a personal assistant for a disabled person?

Tamsin Chant started work as a PA after leaving university. She explains: “I started working as a PA in 2015, supporting two young people with autism, *Lucy and *Mark. With a background in occupational therapy (OT) there were many aspects of my PA role that really resonated with me. I worked full time with one family, which really gave me an opportunity to work in-depth with Lucy and Mark. 

“My role was to support them with many different aspects of their daily lives, with the goal of helping them to gain independence and have a fulfilling and varied routine. I spent most of my working week with Mark, focusing on helping him to develop a meaningful and productive routine, find voluntary work to help integrate him into a work setting and develop essential skills, and support him in accessing paid work, including help with job applications and being present to support him during job interviews. We also worked on essential life skills, such as cooking and ironing. I would go to the gym with him a few times a week.”

Ms Chant continues: “The reason why being a PA appealed to me so much is the same reason why I became an OT. I wanted to work towards goals that are meaningful to them, and increase independence to get more fulfilment from life. Working for just one family gave me the opportunity to do this with more depth. This is one of the perks of being a PA – you have more control over how many people you work with and for how many hours per week, depending on the needs of the family you are working with and your own availability.

“The work can be very varied – I even went on a residential trip with Lucy, and was there to help her with self-care, getting involved in group activities and building relationships with other young people on the trip.

“I also loved how creative I was able to be as a PA. No two days are the same and I had a lot of control over what we did day-to-day. However, I wouldn’t want to paint a picture of an easy role that doesn’t come with challenges. Of course in this field, there will be difficult days, but to me the rewards were always worth the challenges.

“Even though I am no longer a PA, it has been one of my favourite and most memorable jobs. I am still friends with the family and still see them occasionally. It’s been amazing to see Mark and Lucy gaining skills, increase independence and grow in confidence. Being a PA allows you to work with individuals for long enough that you can see change and development over time. For me, this is the most rewarding aspect of being a PA.”