Caring Futures - Flexible Opportunities for Carers in Rural Perth & Kinross

The current health and social care challenges in Perth and Kinross are exacerbated by the lack of carers in rural communities. A range of support is needed to enable older people, and those with special needs, to stay in their homes when they need additional assistance.

One of the solutions to this challenge is to increase the number of self-employed carers and personal assistants in rural areas. GrowBiz has been supporting people to become carers for a number of years and is currently offering assistance and training for anyone wishing to provide care in their communities.

Care covers a wide range of activities, including befriending, shopping, dog-walking, cooking and driving. In many cases, personal care is not needed – but regular friendly visits could make a huge difference to mental and physical health.

No previous experience is needed and support is provided with registering as self-employed, insurance, training needs and ongoing peer support. If you’ve had experience of being an unpaid carer, or who have retired early and would like to do something useful for your local community, it’s worth considering becoming a self-employed carer. Working hours can be very flexible and even a few hours per week could make a huge difference – and enable an extra income stream at a time of cost of living increases. Hourly rates vary, but usually start around £15 - £20. And it’s worth remembering that you can be both employed and self-employed. Find out more here