Around 70,000 people in England employ a personal assistant (PA), usually through taking a direct payment or personal health budget. A new report by Think Local Act Personal looked at the experiences of people who employ a PA of recruiting and retaining them between March 2020 and January 2022?
This report (opens new window)is the result of an online survey with people supported by a personal assistant to explore the issues they faced. Nearly 1,000 people participated. People said that PA recruitment has got harder, both in terms of a shortage of applicants and their suitability for the work. Low pay, poor terms and conditions, and restrictions on what people can pay are the primary drivers for this, alongside the challenges of the Covid pandemic. Download a two page summary (opens new window).
