In a message dated 27/01/03 17:13:55 GMT Standard Time,
[log in to unmask] writes:
<< If a student wishes to administer their own NMH, what documentation do the
LEAs require from the student?
Roz Catlow
Disability Assist Services
University of Plymouth >>
It will vary from LEA to LEA. To be safe, the student should keep time
sheets, pay records and get the helper to provide a receipt for payments.
A better question is, Does the student know that unless the support worker is
genuinely self employed, the student will be responsible for National
Insurance, PAYE, 4 weeks (or one thirteenth of the hours worked), Employer's
Liability Insurance, Public Liability Insurance (subject to the university's
policy on persons who are not employees or students on campus), providing a
contract of employment within 3 weeks of the start date, providing itemised
payslips and keeping a record of payments on a P11? And, CATCH22, they will
have great difficulty persuading many LEAs to bear these costs.
The only way to avoid these responsibilities is for the support worker to
obtain a statement of self employment from the Inland Revenue. Unless the
support worker is providing services to other students it is unlikely that
they will be able to gain 'self employed status' for this one student.
LEAs are becoming less enthusiatic about students handling their NMH
allowance themselves. The general view (from discussions at DfES level) is
that they usually suspect fraud when this request is made and look at it very
closely.
If you are qwriting a DSA I would recommend that you recommend the student's
university handle this and add a note that the student expressed a desire to
handle it themselves but that you advise against it.
Mick Trott
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