If you need help with supporting an autistic family member, hiring a personal assistant may be a good solution. The role of personal assistants is to help people live their lives according to their own wishes and interests. Personal assistants can offer support in a range of areas, such as personal and health care, transport, social activities, work or education. 

How to find and recruit a personal assistant

When looking for a personal assistant, it’s important to find someone with the right values and skills.  This could be someone you already know, like a relative or family friend. You could also ask other families, who already work with personal assistants, for recommendations. 

If you are looking for someone outside your personal network, you could write your own job advert for the role and share this through channels such as recruitment websites or via social media. Your local council may also be able to provide further advice on finding personal assistants in your local area.

Who pays for personal assistants?

If you qualify for social care funding, you may receive a personal budget that you can use to employ a personal assistant. You can request a needs assessment from your local council to find out if you are eligible. Some people also apply for grants to a pay for a personal assistant or cover the cost themselves, if they can.