Starting as a self-employed carer: the complete checklist
9 min read
Going self-employed as a carer gives you control over your hours, your rates and the people you support — but there's a lot to set up before your first visit. This checklist walks through everything in the order most carers do it.
1. Get your paperwork started
Register as a sole trader with HMRC for Self Assessment (see our step-by-step guide). Check whether you need to pay the ICO data protection fee — most carers who keep client details do. Open a separate bank account for your care income; it makes tax time far easier.
2. Sort your DBS check
Families will almost always ask for an Enhanced DBS check, ideally with a check of the barred lists. Self-employed people can't apply for an Enhanced check on themselves — it has to go through an organisation allowed to request one, such as an umbrella body. You can apply for a Basic DBS yourself in the meantime. Join the DBS Update Service within 30 days of your certificate being issued so it stays current and shareable.
3. Get insured
At minimum you need:
- Public liability insurance — covers injury or damage you might cause while working
- Professional indemnity or treatment risk cover — covers the care itself going wrong
- Business use on your car insurance if you drive for work, and definitely if you ever drive clients
4. Get your training in place
There's no single legal training list for self-employed carers, but families and councils expect the basics: Safeguarding Adults, Moving and Handling, Medication Awareness, First Aid, Infection Prevention and Control, and Food Hygiene. The Care Certificate standards are the benchmark most people refer to. Keep certificates together and note when each expires — Carer Hub reminds you before they run out.
5. Write your contract and policies
Never start work without a written agreement. It should cover the services you'll provide, hours, rates, mileage, payment terms, cancellations, holidays, notice and what happens in an emergency. You'll also want written policies for safeguarding, confidentiality and GDPR, medication, complaints, lone working and infection control. Carer Hub includes plain-English templates for all of these, personalised with your details.
6. Set your prices
Independent carers typically charge more than agency pay rates but less than agencies charge families. Remember your rate has to cover tax, National Insurance, insurance, training, holidays, sickness and travel time between visits — not just the hours you're with a client. Decide your terms too: how families pay you, and how many days they have to pay.
7. Find your first clients
Most independent carers find clients through word of mouth, local community groups, noticeboards, and online platforms that connect carers with families. A short profile with your photo, experience, checks and training makes a real difference — Carer Hub's 'Share my profile' creates exactly that as a PDF you can send from your phone.
8. Set up your working systems
Before the work builds up, decide how you'll handle: written agreements signed by both of you, consent to care and access arrangements, risk assessments for each client, notes after visits and phone calls, and invoicing. Doing this from day one is far easier than catching up later — and it's what Carer Hub is built to hold for you.
This guide is general information for the UK, not legal, tax or financial advice. Rules change, so always check the official source for your situation. Carer Hub members can book a free 30-minute session with an independent accredited care consultant.
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