Receiving Direct Payments means you're in control of your care — but it also means you become an employer. And being an employer comes with responsibilities: paying wages correctly, calculating tax and National Insurance, handling pension contributions, and keeping HMRC happy.

For many people, this is the part that feels most daunting. The good news is that you don't have to manage it alone. DRC's payroll management service takes care of all of it for you — completely free of charge.

What Does Employing a Personal Assistant Involve?

When you use your Direct Payment to employ a Personal Assistant (PA), you take on the legal role of an employer. This means you are responsible for:

• Paying your PA the correct wage on agreed pay dates

• Calculating and deducting Income Tax and National Insurance contributions

• Making employer National Insurance contributions

• Enrolling eligible PAs into a workplace pension scheme

• Submitting accurate payroll information to HMRC through Real Time Information (RTI)

• Providing payslips

• Completing year-end tax returns

• It's a significant administrative responsibility — and getting it wrong can have serious consequences. That's why having expert support in place matters.

How DRC's Payroll Service Works

Our Finance Team handles every aspect of payroll administration for your personal assistants, so you can focus on what matters most — your care and your life.

Here's what we take care of:

Wage calculations — We work out exactly what to pay your PA on your agreed pay dates, taking into account their contracted hours, any overtime, and their tax code.

Tax and National Insurance — We calculate both employee and employer contributions accurately, ensuring you're fully compliant with HMRC requirements.

Pension contributions — We manage auto-enrolment responsibilities and calculate pension contributions where applicable.

Payslips — Your PA receives a proper payslip every pay period, as required by law.

HMRC returns — We manage all communications with HMRC on your behalf, including Real Time Information submissions and statutory tax returns. You don't need to contact HMRC yourself.

Pay date management — We ensure payments are processed on time, every time, so your PA is never left waiting.

Why This Matters

Getting payroll wrong — even unintentionally — can result in HMRC penalties, underpayment disputes with your PA, and significant stress. Our team has years of experience managing payroll specifically for Direct Payment recipients, so you can trust that everything is being handled correctly and on time.

And because our service is free, there's no reason to struggle with it alone.

You're Still in Control

Using our payroll service doesn't mean giving up control of your care or your finances. You remain the employer. You decide who to employ, what hours they work, and what tasks they carry out. We simply handle the administrative side so you don't have to worry about it.

Get in Touch

If you're already receiving Direct Payments and managing payroll yourself, or if you're just starting out and wondering how it all works, our team is here to help.

Phone: 01582 470900

Email: [email protected]

Drop in: Mayfield Centre, Unit 4 Mayfield Road, Dunstable, LU5 4AP

Monday drop-in: 10am–2pm, no appointment needed

General hours: Monday–Friday, 10am–4pm