Could you be a Shared Lives carer?
Are you a caring person looking for more than just a job? Then you could become an Ategi Shared Lives carer.
Maybe you're already a carer for a family member, or you might already have care experience, or just a passion for social care and a willingness to learn.
Take our quiz and find out if you could be a Shared Lives carer
Speak to our Shared Lives professionals
Find out what becoming a Shared Lives carer is all about at our online webinar. You'll have the chance to hear from Shared Lives professionals, watch a short film about one of our Shared Lives arrangements and have all your questions answered!
Upcoming events in 2024:
20th September: Sign up here - This event will have a focus on Shared Lives in Buckinghamshire.
21st October: Sign up here
A bit about Shared Lives
As a Shared Lives carer you would share your home and family, helping the adult you support to develop their skills, work towards their goals and support them to be more independent. Supporting them to live their life, their way. As a Shared Lives carer you get to work from home and enjoy a career that truly makes a difference.
Do you want to know more about becoming a Shared Lives carer?
If you want to start an application or still have questions please contact us.
Hear from our current Shared Lives carers
What do you need to become an Ategi Shared Lives carer?
You need to be caring
This is the most important skill you'll need. You might have a background in care work, have cared for a family member or simply a willingness to learn.
Live in your own home
It's important that you live in your own home, have a living space that the person you're supporting can spend time in. For someone to move in or stay for short breaks you need a spare bedroom.
Have a sense of humour
You'll have a great sense of humour and be able to have fun with the person you support.
You need to have enough time
Shared Lives carers don't provide 24/7 support, but they do need to be able to give time to the person they support.
What kind of support will I need to provide?
Every Shared Lives arrangement is unique to the carer and to each person they support.
Our carers support people to live independent full lives, whatever shape that takes. That could be taking them out and about or you might take an active role in nurturing their skills and talents, like Lorna did when she supported Summa with her passion for Manga animation. It might even be simply helping them learn to ride the bus and cook for themselves - all achievements are important and celebrated.
Benefits & support
Payment allowances
The payment allowance Shared Lives carers receive varies depending on where you are in the country.
Tax breaks
Plus, you get a generous tax-break – you will not pay tax on the first £10,000 your earn.
Training & support
We'll assign you a Coordinator who will support you. Training is important, and you'll start during your assessment and continue throughout your time as a Shared Lives Carer.
The role of Shared Lives Plus
We pay for Shared Lives Plus membership for our carers - providing access to support, advice, insurance and much more.
Holidays & breaks
As you choose your lifestyle as a self-employed person, you can take holiday whenever you like as part of your new shared life.
Careful matching process
As a Shared Lives carer your arrangement is flexible to you and your life.
Where can I be an Ategi Shared Lives carer?
There are Shared Lives schemes all over the country, below are the areas that Ategi run Shared Lives schemes.
England: Buckinghamshire, Central Bedfordshire, Southwark, Slough & South Gloucestershire
Wales: Cardiff