Working as a Self employed Carer is a rewarding career for anyone with care experience, but the role comes with a lot of responsibility. It’s important to set yourself up for success by getting the right insurance cover in place before you start work. Countingup’s partner, Superscript, offers a three-in-one policy called Carers Insurance that will help pay compensation and court fees if anything goes wrong.
Unlike full-time care practitioners employed by agencies, a private carer provides routine and medical support to vulnerable people in their own homes. This gives them flexibility to choose shift patterns, set their own hourly rates and balance work responsibilities with life commitments. However, they are responsible for searching and securing their own clients.
When setting up as a self-employed carer, it’s vital to think about how you are going to market yourself and find clients. It might be beneficial to identify a niche that you are skilled in or enthusiastic about, as this can make it easier to find work. It’s also worth considering registering as a limited company, as this can reduce paperwork by eliminating the need for self-assessment tax returns.
If you are new to self-employment, it may be useful to have a trusted accountant on hand. They can take the hassle out of submitting your tax return, which is especially important for self-employed workers like carers, who must submit an annual return as well as paying income tax and National Insurance contributions. Self employed Carer