About us

Equal Care Co-op is an introductory co-operative agency that matches people wanting support with self-employed care and support workers. We are owned by the people who do that work (i.e. you!) and the people who receive the support.

About you

You are a self-employed, independent care and support worker, responsible for:

• deciding who you want to provide support to
• paying your own taxes and registering for self-assessment with HMRC
• your own personal safety

The contract for independent work

This promise is not a contract for care and support work. You will be contracting directly with the people you support. Your contract with them may be verbal or written and will cover when you will support them, the rate you charge and what you will be doing.

Your promise to the co-operative

Telling others about myself and my employment status

• I will tell the truth about my identity, employment background, qualification levels and experience.
• I understand that Equal Care Co-op is an introductory agency and that I will be matched with people wanting support as a self-employed care and support worker.
• I won’t present myself as an employee of Equal Care Co-op and I will take care not to create a relationship that may be construed as employee-employer or worker-employer. If I think this is happening for any reason I will talk to a member of Equal Care Co-op's People Circle immediately.
• As a self-employed worker I am responsible for my own tax return and will register for self-assessment with HMRC.

Keeping myself safe

• I will carry out my own reviews of the introductory risk and supportive conversation records created by the Equal Care Facilitator and ask for any more information as needed.
• I will hold up to date insurance cover for my car which covers transporting people I support (if needed) and I will hold insurance to cover my work as an independent care and support worker.

Keeping others safe

• If I have a safeguarding concern about someone I’m supporting I will either report it directly to my local safeguarding board or to an Equal Care Facilitator or Safeguarding Lead. I won’t let my worries lie.
• I will never discriminate against anyone on the basis of the protected characteristics and I will actively and kindly challenge any discriminatory or prejudiced behaviour I experience or see in the course of my involvement with Equal Care Co-op.

Contributing to the success of the co-op

• I understand that the co-operative will only succeed if it’s able to charge a 15% contribution fee on the hours of care I provide and that there is a cost to finding and matching people who want support with those able to give it.
• I will therefore make sure that any support I offer will go through the platform provided by Equal Care Co-op and I will not accept cash payments from people I am introduced to through Equal Care Co-op.
• I will offer constructive and detailed feedback to help the co-operative and its members improve their work and be open to making improvements myself.
• I will act in a professional, ethical and compassionate way in all my dealings with the co-opm, my peers and the people I support and their families.
• I will give as much notice as possible to the person I'm supporting and to the co-op if I need to change or cancel an appointment.

Responsibilities for support

• I will seek advice and support on any aspect of my work from my independent worker peers, the Equal Care Facilitator or anyone available to give help but I understand that Equal Care Co-op nor any other independent workers are permitted to advise on changing or developing any regulated activity that I’m carrying out as an independent worker.
• I understand that changes can only be agreed between myself, the person I’m supporting and any family members. Changes can also be agreed with other workers supporting the same person but this has to be done with the full involvement and presence of the person being supported and/or their family members.
• I am responsible for my own decisions in relation to the support I provide and any gains or losses that may result. I understand that Equal Care Co-op cannot accept responsibility for any losses, claims or damages that may happen whilst providing care or using the co-op's matching and scheduling services.

Equal Care Co-op’s promise to you

• Our Equal Care Facilitators will take all reasonable steps to ensure your safety when working with people in their own homes. This will include an initial risk and trust assessment and a supportive conversation record.
• We will connect you with any free training we have access to and offer optional training and learning opportunities ourselves.
• We will hold your personal data securely and only use it as necessary to be able to provide our services.
• We will listen, be curious, ask questions and learn from your experiences.
• We will help resolve any issues you experience in the course of giving care and support.
• We will pay you promptly each month for the accrued hours you’ve worked.
• We will pay for your DBS check, insurance cover as an independent worker (up until end of 2020!) and for any optional training opportunities we develop in partnership with you.
• We will help you with HMRC registration and give you an annual statement which you can use to submit your return.

Our promise to each other

Change and occasional disagreement are an inevitable part of any significant relationship. We both agree, when an issue arises, to having a conversation to work out how to keep the relationship on track. We will make use of Equal Care Co-op's problem-solving process to help and understand that this may result in ending our work together. We also both agree to do everything in our power to avoid litigation and, if appropriate, to use mediation to resolve any disputes or differences.