We have a track record of implementing an effective streamlined hiring process  where all immigration, recruitment and training works are fully integrated in a seamless workflow from start to finish giving us the ability to guarantee deployment within 4-12 weeks.

Yes, you are eligible to apply but must provide additional evidence that you meet the sponsor requirements. 

The four main types of home care are live-in care, overnight, hourly care, and respite care, however, each of those care types can then be separated into more specialist care services eg.e.g. Hourly Autism Care or Overnight Dementia Care. You can see what care type each carer is specialized in on their RAAS Carer profile. Send them a message if you'd like to find out more. 

You have two options with RAAS Carers: 'Search for carers in your area', message, contact and agree with terms or 'tell us your care requirements' and approved carers that fit your needs will apply to your account for the role. 

Here at IANS we have 3 packages tailored to your specific business needs, whether you are a small, medium or large care provider 

There are 3 packages to choose from: 

Starter 

> Dedicated SW Consultant  

> Candidate Presentation in 5 working days 

> Candidate Interviews in 7 working days 

Billed monthly - 12 months contract 

Price does not include VAT  

Professional 

> Work References Support 

> DBS & Police Checks Assistance 

> Allocated Immigration Solicitor 

> Request Defined/Undefined CoS 

> Prepare and submit skilled worker visa application 

> Submit skilled worker visa application in 5 working days   

Billed monthly - 12 months contract 
Price does not include VAT 

Enterprise 

> One-way video interview system /software/platform 

> Option to recruit carer/driver 

> Option to recruit in-country candidates 

> Tailored offer letter for migrants 

> Tailored employment contract for migrants  

> Financial liability term for breach of contract 

> Submit skilled worker visa application in 5 working days   

> Sponsor compliance audit 

> Sponsor and migrant compliance interview preparation 

> Sponsor management support service  

Billed monthly - 12 months contract 
Price does not include VAT 

You pay for respite care though a secure payment system on our app or website. Your carer of choice will create a service agreement and shift invoice which will automatically be sent to your account for your approval. Once you have approved these, you will be taken to the payment portal. Your payment is held securely until the shift is completed and is then released to the carer 2 working days after the end of the shift minus our fee. 

Off-platform and cash payments are not accepted and are liable to a placement fee of £2000. Please see our terms and conditions for more information, specifically point 9.3. 

Yes, you can often get funding to help pay for hourly care. There are three steps that you can follow to ensure that you receive all the money to which you are entitled. 

• Check your eligibility for benefits with a benefits calculator 
• Check your eligibility for NHS Continuing Healthcare Funding 
• Apply for Local Authority Funding 

If, after following these steps you still have difficulty funding your own care, you may consider other options such as Equity Release. 

No, you can hire a senior carer for as short or as long a period as you require. The length of service is decided between yourself and the carer and clearly stated on the service agreement that you draw up together. A notice period of 48 hours is required from both parties if you wish to cancel the agreement. 

There is a minimum shift length of one hour per 24 hours, which may be divided into half-hour shifts with the carer's consent. 

Yes, the minimum shift length is one hour per 24 hours, which may be divided into half-hour shifts with the carer's consent. 

We believe that short 15-minute visits do not give the carer enough time to properly care for the client. Our minimum shift length ensures a better standard of care and a more meaningful relationship between the carer and person needing care. 

Yes, you can choose your own carer. You can also choose the perfect carer for your friends or family members. Use our search function to choose a carer today. 

To arrange home care on the RAAS Carer platform, you can filter by care type, condition experience, languages spoken and more in your search for a carer. If you see a particular carer that fits your criteria, send them a message asking their availability and outlining your care needs. 

Alternatively, you can tell us your care requirements and carers that fit those needs will apply to your Curam account. We recommend that you call or meet your carer of choice before contracting with them. 

Once you have found the carer with the skill set you require, click the 'message carer' button on their profile to contact them, check availability and discuss your needs. You need to be registered as a client to message a carer. 

Yes, you can either search and message multiple carers or tell us your care requirements to receive applicants to your account. You can then interview the carers and hire as many as you need. 

Certain placements may need more than one carer or multiple carers on a rota. 

It means you are not the employer of the carer, so you do not have any employer/employee responsibilities. The carer is entirely responsible for paying their own taxes and national insurance. 

The carers set their own rates, they choose when, where and who they work for. They normally work part time, or if full time they have a number of different clients. 

A DBS, Disclosure and Barring Service check (previously known as CRB) is a record of any warnings or convictions a person may have acquired. A PVG, Protecting Vulnerable Groups check is the Scottish version of DBS and similarly, the check in Northern Ireland is called an Access NI. 

We require a clean DBS certificate (except for a few minor exceptions), dated within the past 3 years. We also encourage carers to join the Update Service, whereby their check is continually updated. Live-in carers must have an enhanced DBS check. 

If at any time you are not happy with your care assistant, you can cancel the arrangement. You must give at least 48 hours' notice. 

You can cancel your contract with a carer at any time and are only obliged to pay for the care that has already been delivered, outside of the 48-hour notice period. 

We expect every self-employed carer using our platform to adhere to the latest government guidelines for PPE. We send out regular emails to every approved carer outlining the most recent coronavirus updates from the government to keep them well-informed. 

However, as RAAS Carer are self-employed it is their responsibility to source and wear the correct PPE. If you believe that your carer’s levels of protection are not sufficient, either discuss it with them in person or let a member of our team know. 

Regular expenses, such as travel, can be noted by the carer in the free text box in the service agreement. 

One-off expenses are best handled directly between you and your carer. 

All of the carers on our platform are encouraged to work in a micro-team with other carers. Each carer’s team is formed of other carers that they trust and believe will maintain the same high standards of care that they currently deliver to you. 

When you first start receiving care with a carer, your carer will inform you as to who is in their micro-team. You will be able to check their profiles and contact them as and /when you need cover. 

If you do not believe your carer’s micro-team is suitable, you can of course select another carer from the platform instead. 

We currently have carers in every postcode in the UK and hundreds of carers and personal assistants are signing up to the platform every month. Please either tell us your care requirements or search and message carers to find the availability of carers in your area. 

We are approving carers from across the UK onto our platform on a daily basis – if you do not find any carers in your area please tell us your care requirements and suitable carers will apply to your account. 

After telling us your care requirements, your job specifications will be sent out not only to our database of approved carers, but also to our database of 25,000 carers who are in the process of getting approved. 

If they show interest in your job, unapproved carers can upload the relevant documents and book their interview to be approved and apply for the job. 

If your care requirements change, you should discuss this with your carer. They may be able to add or subtract hours from your shift invoice and afford you some flexibility. They would then need to create a new service agreement with the updated requirements. 

If you decide that you need another carer, you can hire them through the platform quickly and easily as per your needs. 

This is entirely between you and your carer to decide however, many of our self-employed carers charge for trial shifts. 

It is important to note that in order for our carer insurance to be activated, you must first approve a service agreement and shift invoice created by your carer of choice. If your carer has agreed to an unpaid trial shift, they must still create a 'token' invoice to be covered by the insurance. 

Yes. We advise that, coronavirus dependent, all clients meet their carers at in the care location to discuss the client’s care package before approving a service agreement. 

If an in-person interview cannot happen, we recommend that at the very least you should Skype, WhatsApp or Facetime call a carer before hiring them. All the carers on this platform have either a Skype, WhatsApp or Facetime account. 

Ultimately the relationship between the client and the carer is a working relationship. If the relationship is not functioning, then our advice is for you to replace your current carer with another care worker. Both parties must give 48-hours' notice before cancelling an agreement. 

If the dispute is of a serious nature, for example, a criminal act, then you must report it at once to the police and RAAS Carer. We will investigate it immediately. 

We take all reports of unacceptable behaviour by carers extremely seriously. If we receive a formal complaint against a carer from a client we will immediately inform their other clients and reserve the right to either prevent the care worker from acquiring new clients or in cases of a serious nature remove them from the platform at once. 

We believe it is essential that you feel as comfortable as possible with bringing a carer or personal assistant into your home. Interviewing a carer before hiring them is a good way to check that someone is the right person for you. 

Before interviewing a potential carer, it is a good idea to prepare your questions to make sure you ask everything you want to and gather all the information you need to make a decision. 

Having read the carer’s profile, you will be aware of their experience, hobbies/interests and their personal statement, but an interview will allow you to delve deeper and find out more about a carer, their experience and personality. 

Check out our helpdesk for some examples of questions that you can ask. 

Before you interview your carer, you can also ask them to provide 2 references. We recommend that you check these before hiring your carer of choice. 

Similar to any standard agency, our Carer Support Team background check and interview all of our carers. This includes Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) checks in England & Wales, Disclosure Scotland and NI Access in Northern Ireland. We also check identity documents, rights to work in the UK, tax and employment status and, if relevant, driving license and relevant qualifications. 

We also insist that carers provide two independent referees (at least one of them a UK resident) who are willing to vouch for the carer. We do not check these references, seeing as clients' needs differ and we believe that you are the best person to discuss your needs with referees. Feel free to request these from your carer via message. 

Yes. We strongly recommend that all clients contact referees directly. All care workers on the platform will have provided two referees (of which one must be a UK resident). 

The carer will provide you with their referees' contact details upon request. Please contact us by email at support@ians-group.com if you have any issues with this. 

The RAAS Carers platform connects clients with self-employed carers, who then contract with each other through the RAAS Carere website - therefore our platform is not required to be registered with the Care Quality Commission, the Care Inspectorate or the Regulation and Quality Improvement Authority (RQIA). 

However, we at RAAS Carers aspire to, and expect the carers on our platform to equally aspire to, the CQC, the Care Inspectorate and the RQIA codes of conduct. If we hear that any of our carers or clients have acted in breach of these codes, we will investigate immediately. 

We take all reports of unacceptable behaviour by carers extremely seriously. If we receive a formal complaint against a carer from a client, we will inform their other clients at once and reserve the right to either prevent the care worker from acquiring new clients or in cases of a serious nature remove them from the platform immediately. 

RAAS Carers are insured with Surewise Self Employed Carers Insurance, including the Personal Accident & Legal Helpline provided by Surewise. The policy is underwritten by SAGIC (The Salvation Army General Insurance Corporation). 

The cover includes: (with no excess, nor hidden fees) 

• Public liability up to £1 million 
• Legal expenses up to £10,000 
• Loss or damage to property at work up to £250 

• Loss or damage to keys and locks up to £100 
• Accidental injury and death (variable) 

To claim: notify SAGIC by calling 0300 030 1865 within 30 days of an incident. 

Please contact one of our team at: accounts@ians-group.com for more information or for the complete terms. 

You must notify SAGIC (The Salvation Army General Insurance Corporation) by calling 0300 030 1865 within 30 days of an incident. Telephone: 0300 030 1865 Email: claims@sagic.co.uk 

Postal Address: Claims Department SAGIC Limited Faith House 23-24 Lovat Lane London EC3R 8EB 

If you are unsatisfied with your carer’s service, we recommend that you give notice to that carer, report the issue to our office at 

client@ians-group.com and search for a carer more suited to your needs on our website. 

The carers set their own rates according to factors such as experience and qualifications. You, as a client, have the possibility to negotiate rates with carers individually if desired. 

The average hourly care rate charged by carers on  RAAS Carer is £16 per hour, with rates starting at £13 an hour. The average live-in care rate charged is £880 per week, with rates starting at £750 a week. Carer rates include our fee of 12.5% + VAT. 

We have set the minimum rate on our platform to be in line with the London Living Wage. The minimum that carers can charge per hour is therefore equal to £12.80 (with our 12.5% fee and VAT taken into account) for 2020/21. 

You can contract a RAAS Carers off-platform, however this incurs a recruitment fee of £2000+VAT payable by the client. This can be seen in point 9.3 of our terms and conditions. Contact us at accounts@ians-group.com  if you have any further questions on this matter. 

The carer is paid the rate they have agreed with you minus our 12.5%+VAT fee which covers the platform, insurance and transaction costs. 

For example, if you pay the carer £15.00 an hour, the carer will receive £12.75 per hour. 

It is Curam’s policy that no carer on the platform charges less than the London Living Wage, currently £10.85 per hour, with the addition of our commission and VAT this rounds up to a minimum rate on the platform of £12.80 per hour. 

Here at RAAS Carers, we have transparent minimal fee of 12.5% + VAT on all the care hours transacted on our platform. By using our platform, you are able to able to save 10%* of what one might normally spend when sourcing carers via a traditional agency (*Kings Fund Report 2019). 

You can decide to either save that extra 10%, use it to buy more care hours or use it to make your care budget go further. 

Another great way to stretch your care budget is to check your eligibility for government benefits, millions of pounds of benefits go unclaimed every year – don't miss out! 

Your replacement carer will simply send you a service agreement and shift invoice via the RAAS Carers platform whilst your regular carer is away. 

Your main carer will have to amend their invoice to ensure you do not pay twice. 

You then approve the service agreement and shift agreement as usual and pay through the platform. 

We believe that the safest place for you to be during the coronavirus pandemic is in your own home. You need only look at the statistics on care home deaths due to the coronavirus pandemic to understand the severity of the risk of being in a UK care home. 

Hiring a live-in carer is the safest route to take, as you minimize the exposure that your carer has to the virus. However, even if you hire an hourly Carer or overnight carer, we still believe that it is much safer than being in the environment of a care home – with multiple carers and clients constantly mixing in an enclosed space. 

If you are considering home care and need support or assistance, feel free to contact our team at client@ians-group.com. 

If your carer is ill for any reason, you can ask them to provide details of their RAAS Carers micro-team. Each carer’s team is formed of other carers that they trust, and that they believe will maintain the same high standards of care that they currently deliver to you. 

You can either choose a replacement carer from their team, or search and message other carers in your area on our site. With RAAS Carers, there is no guarantee of the provision of care, however the easiest way to source last-minute care would be to tell us your care requirements. Please make sure to inform the carer if you are showing any Coronavirus symptoms. 

If you believe that you or someone in your household might have coronavirus and it is not an emergency, call the NHS 111 online. In the case of an emergency, if you need to call an ambulance, dial 999 and inform the call handler if you are presenting any coronavirus symptoms. 

You may then need to self-isolate or arrange alternative emergency care.