Where do I find a carer in Ireland?

Families often recognise the need for a carer for an elderly relative at a time that is already fraught with stress, after an illness, fall or hospital stay. Jenny Diamond from Carer Payroll is here to help guide you through the process of finding and employing a carer to look after your loved one in their home.

Finding a carer

You can search for a carer near you on listing sites such as Mindme.ie. You can also post a job add with your requirements and invite applicants to contact you via their secure messaging system. You can find a list of interview questions and top tips on the hiring process on their website.

Employing a carer

Once you have found the person who is the right fit for your family, you need to set them up as an employee. Rates for carers vary, depending on experience, but you can expect to pay upwards of €10.20 and hour, usually in the region of €20-€30 an hour. Once you have agreed the rate and the hours, send the details to us at Carer Payroll and we will set you up as an employer. We offer a complete payroll service for families who employ a carer or healthcare assistant, for a small annual fee of €275. Our service allows you to meet all your statutory obligations as an employer, saving you time and ensuring you don’t receive any penalties from Revenue for late or incorrect filing.

Drawing up a contract

It is your legal obligation to provide your carer with key terms of their employment in writing within 5 days of them commencing employment and to provide your carer with a suitable contract of employment within the first 60 days of them commencing employment with you. For an additional charge of just €35, we can offer you a tailored employment contract between you and your carer which cover both of these obligations.

Paying your carer

We can set you up on our cloud-based payroll system and run your carer’s payroll on a weekly/fortnightly/four-weekly/ monthly basis depending on what you'd prefer. All you need to do is simply pay your carer the net amount advised on the pay summary. You can login at any time via our member's area and see all pay summaries to date, manage annual leave and approve timesheets.

Funding you carer

We offer unlimited help and advice to our clients and are experts in complexities such as carer shares and splitting tax credits. We’ll guide you on how to claim up to 40% tax relief on the cost of employing a carer, either for yourself or for another family member.

Managing your employer obligations

Your carer can download our specialist app (available on Apple or Android) and view payslips, submit timesheets and holiday requests, and get notifications when new payslips are available. If your carer works the same hours each week, you can let us know and we’ll process your payroll without timesheets. We will also set up a direct debit between you and Revenue so the employee deductions and employer PRSI are kept up to date.

Need help or advice on employing a carer? Get in touch with the Carer Payroll team today.