Are you interested in starting a new career as a home carer? As the ageing population in the UK continues to grow, demand for new carers is only expected to rise. There is no better time to consider a rewarding career in the care sector!
From where to apply for carer jobs to guidance on the application process, here is everything you need to know on how to get a job as a carer in the UK.
Working as a Carer in the UK
Working as a carer in the UK is an immensely rewarding career with many practical benefits. On top of the personal satisfaction you’ll receive from making a positive difference in the lives of others, many care service providers offer competitive benefits like flexible working hours, referral schemes, rewards programmes and paid training and development opportunities.
While previous experience, both professional or as a family carer, can be an asset, many care service providers will provide the training you need. Here at Prestige Nursing & Care, we offer new carers training leading to Care Certificates for certain roles.
Where to apply
Before applying for a carer job, you should determine whether you want to become self-employed as a carer or work through a fully-managed care provider.
If you are new to care work, it is recommended that you start by looking for jobs with CQC-regulated care providers who can offer all the training and skills you need to excel as a carer. You will also receive ongoing support and guidance as you progress through your career, something that is fundamental for new carers.
Here are some places where you can find carer jobs in the UK:
- Online job boards or search engines
- Social media
- Adverts in the local newspaper
- Care service provider websites
- Care service provider directories
You can also explore our current carer jobs to see what’s on offer at Prestige Nursing & Care.
How to choose the right company
Before searching for carer jobs, it’s important to think about what your ideal job role is and what you’re looking for from an employer. As a new carer, you’ll want to ensure that the company you work for can ultimately provide you with the training you need to deliver quality care.
You can start by visiting the company’s website. It should have all the information you need to come to an informed decision. It can also be beneficial to come up with a list of questions you would like answered during the interview process. Staff review sites such as Glassdoor can also provide valuable insight.
When choosing the companies to apply for, consider the following features:
- What type of care do they provide? Is it live-in, hourly or overnight care?
- What locations do they cover? If you are given a placement far from home, do they cover travel expenses?
- What does their clientele look like? Is it older adults, people with learning disabilities or people who require complex nurse-led care?
- Their CQC rating, as this can establish the quality of the care they provide
- The benefits they offer such as pay rates, referral schemes, training and rewards programmes
The application process
Each employer will have its own requirements throughout the application process. At Prestige Nursing & Care, we require the following qualifications and experience, and these are pretty standard requirements in the care sector:
- A good standard of written and spoken English
- The right to work in the UK
- Clear police, occupational health and reference checks
- Good professional and personal references
- Six months’ professional care experience in a care of health setting for example as a domiciliary carer, care assistant, homecare worker, support worker or healthcare assistant. However, if you are new to care we offer training leading to Care Certificates for certain roles, so please contact your nearest local branch to find out more
If you’re interested in applying for a carer position with us at Prestige Nursing & Care, your first step is to apply for one of the roles advertised on our website – you can see all our vacancy listings here. Select the job you wish to apply for and fill in our online application form. It will only take a few minutes and you will be asked to attach your CV.
Our recruitment team will screen your application and if you’re successful, you will be invited for an interview. If you are selected, you will be asked to complete our comprehensive training programme.
You can learn more about our recruitment process here.
Do I need a DBS?
It is a legal requirement for those working in adult health and social care in the UK to have a Disclosure and Barring Service Check (DBS). There are three levels of a DBS check and most carer jobs will require the third level, the enhanced check.
An enhanced check includes all the information contained in a standard DBS, including an in-depth criminal record check. It also includes additional information such as listings on the Children’s Barred List or Adult First list. Most roles in education and health care require this Enhanced DBS Check due to the sensitive nature of care work and the groups of people supported.
If you already have a DBS, you can use the DBS Update Service. This is an online service that allows employers to check the DBS status of a candidate with their consent. This service costs £13 a year. It is important to note that not all employers will accept this and you may still be asked to complete a new DBS.
START A REWARDING CAREER WITH PRESTIGE NURSING & CARE
Carers are the superheroes of our business. Everything we do is designed to support and empower our carers to provide exceptional care to our clients. This ‘carer first’ mentality is reflected in our flexible approach to working and in the industry-leading training we provide.
Our in-depth online training programme, which you will be required to complete before you start working with us, will give you all the tools you need to start a successful care career with Prestige Nursing & Care.
We also offer ongoing training and development for those who wish to acquire more qualifications and knowledge.
Other benefits you can expect from Prestige Nursing & Care include:
- Hourly rates are often higher than other agencies
- A flexible way to work locally – the hours you want when you want them
- Working with a local team at a local branch
- A variety of work matched to your skills and interests
- Ongoing training and development
- A Member Advantages programme offering retail discounts
APPLYING FOR A CARER JOB WITH US
Ready to start a rewarding and meaningful new career with Prestige Nursing & Care? Whatever your skills or experience, applying for a role is simple. You can learn more about our home care job requirements and our recruitment process in our carer jobs section.
Contact our friendly recruitment team or explore our current carer jobs to see what’s on offer at Prestige Nursing & Care.
