Get ready to be an employer
If you’ve never employed someone before, we’re here to support you with the legal aspects of the employment that you’ll need to consider including holiday and pensions.
Salary
Salaries play a vital part in every employment arrangement.
Our Carer Salary Calculator makes it simple to understand what your employee will actually take home each week, month, or year. It calculates both the net salary (your carer’s “take-home pay”) and the cost to you as the employer, including any pension contributions and other payroll obligations. It’s a quick and easy way to plan your care budget.
Pensions
Under the Pensions Act 2008, all UK employers are legally required to provide a workplace pension scheme for any employee who meets the eligibility criteria. Once your carer is enrolled, you as the employer, your employee, and the Government will each make contributions into their pension — helping your employee save for the future while ensuring you remain compliant with employment law. We offer a pensions add-on to any subscription to help navigate the strict rules around auto-enrolment and help you avoid potentially hefty fines.
Employment contract
An employment contract lays the foundation for a positive and professional working relationship between you and your employee. This legally binding agreement sets out the key terms and conditions of employment — ensuring both parties are clear on their responsibilities and obligations from the very start.
Gross to net
In the UK, salaries are almost always discussed in gross terms — that is, before tax and other deductions. Agreeing to pay a net salary (after tax) can lead to unexpected costs later on, as you’ll be responsible for covering all the tax, National Insurance, and other contributions on top. Understanding the true gross cost of employing a carer from the outset helps you budget accurately and avoid surprises down the line.
Holiday and Sick pay
All employees, including domestic staff such as carers and personal assistants are legally entitled to a minimum amount of paid holiday. As an employer, you must clearly state your employee’s holiday entitlement in their contract and ensure holiday pay is correctly administered.
The amount of leave your employee is entitled to depends on whether they work full-time or part-time hours, so it’s important to calculate this accurately.
You should also familiarise yourself with the rules and regulations around sick pay.
Documentation checks
You must check passports and proof of address documentation as part of the hiring process.
If you are hiring from outside the UK there may be additional ‘right to work’ requirements.
For more information on this topic, please see the right to work page on the government website.