Money, Tax and Payments
Shared Lives Carers are paid a set rate, which is regularly reviewed based on the assessed needs of our Service Users. Some Carers choose Shared Lives as their full time work, whilst others work only part time.
Carers who use their own transport receive a mileage allowance if transport is approved as part of a customer's assessed needs.
Your allocated Shared Lives Worker will discuss the financial payments in more detail with you. You will be asked to submit invoices for work, and these will be supplied by the Shared Lives office.
Tax and National Insurance
Carers are not employees of Tameside MBC but are viewed as self-employed. It's therefore the responsibility of providers to arrange their own tax and national
insurance contributions.
We can advise you on these matters and signpost you to tools and calculators from Her Majesty's Revenue and Customs (HMRC).
Benefits
Some State Benefits may be affected by payments from the Shared Lives service. We can offer advice about these benefits on a case-by-case basis.
Insurance
You will need to make sure you have full house and contents insurance. If you are required to use your car you will also need to inform your car insurance company and ensure you have business cover. You will also need to advise your personal and household insurer that you are acting as a provider for this service.
Payments
Long Term / Interim Placements
Shared Lives carers are paid £405.54 per week. Each long-term Shared Lives Carer is entitled to twenty one nights break (respite) per year for their respective service user. It is usually provided by another Shared Lives Carer, However, occasionally this is not possible due to the level of the Service Users needs therefore if support is provided in a another service.
Respite / Emergency Placements
Shared Lives carers are paid £45.56 per night to provide respite services.
Day Support
Shared Lives carers are paid £7.06 per hour for day support sessions. Day support is typically commissioned in five hour sessions so carers are paid £34.45 per five hour session.
Mileage
Shared Lives carers are reimbursed for transport during support at a rate of 45p per mile.
Help form HMRC
Her Majesty's Revenue and Customs provide lots of handy information and tools to help people who are starting their own business, including becoming a Shared Lives provider.
They've got lots of generic information about Starting Your Own Business.
If you want more in depth help, HMRC run webinars, where you can book on to a course to suit your requirements. Find these at www.gov.uk/government/collections/hmrc-webinars-email-alerts-and-videos
A Shared Lives focused webinar can be found here: www.gov.uk/support-for-foster-parents/tax-arrangements
You might also want to receive regular updates from HMRC by following them on Twitter, just search for @HMRCgovuk
A tool is available on the HMRC website to provide guidance on how much money to set aside for Tax / National insurance. The Ready Reckoner calculator tool can be found at www.gov.uk/self-assessment-ready-reckoner
There are also a number of mobile Apps which you can download to your smartphone. They cover a range of subjects, and you can browse what's available at www.gov.uk/government/publications/record-keeping-and-simpler-income-tax-applicationssoftware