Plans to make it easier for people with disabilities to employ Personal Assistants to help them to live as full a life as possible were revealed today by Care Services Minister Paul Burstow.

A Framework for Personal Assistants helps offer universal support for people with care needs as well as the PAs they employ. It maintains the flexibility of the role, which makes them so vital in helping people with disabilities to live their lives and aims to increase the number of PAs available.

Research shows that those receiving payments can be nervous about becoming an employer and the lack of a clear, universal job description can be a barrier to those considering joining the profession.