Independent Living Advisor (Direct Payments) in Essex

Salary: £30,000 per annum

Hours: 35 hours per week

Contract: Permanent

Location: London, SW6

The Organisation: The organisation was founded in 1979 and is one of London’s leading Deaf and Disabled People’s Organisations. They believe in the social model of disability, embracing inclusive and accessible ways of working, seeking participation and contribution from their members, and encouraging diversity. The charity provides five key services: Youth, Employment, Welfare Benefits, Independent Living, and Our Place.

Independent Living Service: The Independent Living Service (Direct Payments) provides support to Direct Payment users within the borough of Hammersmith and Fulham, enabling disabled people to have genuine choice and control over their lives.

Purpose of Post: To work with individuals, their family and friends (where appropriate) to provide them with information, advice, and assistance to enable them to access and manage a Direct Payment (DP) and recruit and manage a Personal Assistant (PA).

Main Duties and Responsibilities:

• Support individuals employing their own Personal (care) Assistant (PA) or engage an agency to deliver care and support.
• Provide information and advice on becoming an employer and the role of the Personal Assistant.
• Ensure that the client understands their legal obligations and responsibilities of being an employer.
• Work with clients to set up a profile on the Find-a-pa website, advertise and recruit a Personal Assistant, create a personalised job description and specification, and identify the level of experience and training requirements needed for the role.
• Advise and help to calculate the PA’s salary and on costs (full training provided).
• Support the client through the interview process and where necessary sit in during interviews.
• Support individuals to reference, check legal status, and where necessary DBS their support worker.
• Support individuals to set up an induction plan for their PA and enable them to identify training needs.
• Support the client to complete payroll and insurance documentation.
• Work with the client to draw up a Statement of Particular (contract) for the employed PA (templates provided).
• Encourage DP employers to take a lead in all employment issues.
• Ensure that the individual has a back-up plan for emergencies.
• Encourage DP employers to be assertive and proactive with their Personal Assistants.
• Work with agencies to set up support for clients who may not wish to employ a PA directly.

Ongoing support to individuals in receipt of Direct Payments:

• Providing advice on employment issues.
• Support individuals to solve practical problems e.g. lateness of staff, change of needs.
• Support individuals to recruit again if necessary.
• Assist individuals to re-look at budgets, training, and job descriptions as they change over time.
• Assist individuals to ensure that they continue to manage their Direct Payment or budget.
• Support individuals to make informed choices.
• Meet with the DP Support Group on a regular basis.
• Assist in the development of training and other resources to support employers to manage their DP and their PA relationships.
• Develop links and professional relationships with Social Work teams to support a healthy level of referrals.

For all work:

• Work in a person-centred way.
• Comply with agreed policies and procedures.
• Participate in the wider development of the service and contribute to service improvement as required.
• Be computer literate and administratively self-supporting.
• Undertake any other reasonable duties as identified by the Direct Payments Lead or line manager.

Special requirements:

• Ability to travel within the London borough of Hammersmith and Fulham.
• Some attendance at meetings and events outside of normal office hours will be required.

To be considered for this role, candidates must have:

• Good standard of education.
• Experience of recruiting volunteers or staff.
• Knowledge of employment law.
• Understanding of social care and Direct Payments legislation.
• Experience/knowledge of supporting individuals to recruit and manage employees.
• Experience of working with clients with support needs.
• Experience of using a person-centred approach.
• Ability to think creatively and to come up with solutions.
• Ability to gather and assess information efficiently.
• Numeracy skills and knowledge of budgeting.
• Ability to use Word and Excel packages to a high standard.
• Ability to work under pressure, and to tight deadlines.
• A flexible approach and able to work on own initiative.
• Good communication skills including interpersonal, written, presentational, and spoken.
• Ability to guide in a sensitive way.
• Ability to assess and match skills and personalities to individual needs and preferences.
• Commitment to the Social Model of Disability and to promote choice, independence, rights, and inclusion.
• Understanding of and commitment to the aims of the organisation.
• Excellent practical understanding of the need for confidentiality.
• An understanding of equal opportunities and anti-discriminatory practice.

Desirable qualities:

• Experience of working with disabled people.
• Lived experience of disability.

Closing Date: Friday 10th July 2026. N.B. the employer reserves the right to close this vacancy early and/or begin interviewing before the closing date if a suitable candidate is identified. Early applications are therefore encouraged.

Interested? To apply, please click the apply button. You will be taken to a simple CHM Recruit form where you can find out more information and complete your application by following the instructions.

The successful candidate will be required to undertake an enhanced DBS check.

• The employer welcomes applicants from all walks of life.

As a Disability Confident Employer, the charity actively encourages applications from Disabled people and people with long-term health and mental conditions. They operate a Guaranteed Interview Scheme in that they will guarantee an interview to all Disabled applicants who meet the essential criteria for the post. Please state in a cover letter if you wish the employer to consider you for this guaranteed interview scheme.

The organisation is a Living Wage Foundation registered employer and all of their employees, casual workers, and contractors are paid above the London Living Wage.

No agencies please.