What practical differences are there between running your assistance on your own and an assistance company? What are the pros and cons of the different options and what would suit you and your situation? Here we take a closer look at these questions to guide and facilitate the best choice that suits you.
Assistance company that decides
Having an assistance company take care of your assistance is common. Then you don’t decide so much yourself, but at the same time can make demands as a customer and supervisor. You pay a fee to the company for them to take care of the assistance, finances, law, staffing and accounting. Here it is important to check the agreement carefully to know what is included and that you get the parts you are happy with. The assistance company is then obliged to deliver assistance according to your agreement.
To think about when it comes to collective agreements
When you receive help via an assistance company, you are usually covered by a collective agreement, which can be both a security and a limitation. The collective agreement means a limited leeway in the assistance economy, wage setting and overheads. With self-directed assistance, however, you can choose for yourself whether you want a collective agreement or not. You are also not limited by the Working Hours Act, but can work up to 100 hours more than if you had an assistance company, which is usually good if you have relatives who work.
Pros and cons of assistance companies
As with all options, there are pros and cons to using an assistance company. To make it easier for you to evaluate, we have listed a number of pros and cons here:
Advantages of assistance companies
The biggest advantage of having an assistance company is if you don’t want or can’t bear to be particularly familiar with your assistance or the practical parts around it. The assistance company therefore takes a comprehensive approach to your assistance. How much you yourself can influence your own situation is different and it is also important that you agree on the details right from the start. You should be clear about your needs and hold continuous reconciliations with your assistance company, so that you make sure that the collaboration works, and you get the assistance you need.
Disadvantages of assistance companies
The biggest disadvantage of hiring an assistance company is that you have very little control over your situation. It is a service you buy and sometimes the collaboration works well and sometimes not so well. You may also need to try a few assistance companies before you find the right one, which can be time-consuming. With an assistance company, you have limited insight into the company’s decision-making processes and how staff and management act in various matters, and in some cases also your own assistance finances. With assistance companies, there is also the risk that they could have their license suspended – something you don’t have to worry about on your own, since you don’t need to have a driver’s license yourself.
When you manage your assistance yourself
As a user, there is also the option of running your assistance on your own. It simply means that you are the employer of your assistants. If you want, you can also get help with administrative matters such as salaries, taxes, law, reporting to the Social Insurance Agency and more, so you can be sure that everything will be right. In practical terms, it’s ultimately up to you.
Pros and cons of self-management
Even self-management comes with both advantages and disadvantages. Own direction means greater personal responsibility, but also greater freedom. Take a look at the pros and cons here:
Benefits of owning
One hundred percent control over your assistance. This means that you have self-determination as to how it should be carried out. You also have great freedom as your own employer. You avoid complicated communication routes with the assistance company and other administrative elements that take their toll. Instead, you can get help and support with the administration while you can concentrate on the assistance. You also avoid the interference of a third party in your finances and your everyday life, which provides better conditions for creating a life that you are satisfied with.
Disadvantages of self-directed assistance
Running assistance on your own can sound complicated. Although it is mostly just a myth, you may still feel that you do not want to manage the work yourself. . If you are completely alone and do not want to hire someone to help with the administrative parts, it can become burdensome to manage everything yourself. We therefore recommend that you take the help of a company that is knowledgeable within your own auspices, so that everything is correct.
How many run self-directed assistance?
Although it is common to hire assistance companies, it is becoming increasingly popular to take control of your own assistance on your own. In 2020, approximately 3 percent of those eligible for assistance were self-employed, but in recent years, interest has increased a lot and we see that more and more people are choosing to run their assistance on their own.
Should you choose an assistance company or self-directed assistance?
The most important thing when you choose the form in which you want your assistance is that you start from what feels good to you. But it might be worth trying different variations. If it is a form you are curious about, you can test it for a period to see how it works and then evaluate how it has affected your everyday life. That way you get the help you need.
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