Two people in a corridor, one seated in a wheelchair, both smiling and leaning towards each other in conversation.

Personal Assistants make a difference every day.

More than a job.
A career that changes lives.

Personal Assistants (PAs) play a vital role in helping people live independently, achieve their goals, and stay connected to the people and communities that matter to them.

As a Personal Assistant, no two days are the same. You might support someone to get to work, attend college, enjoy hobbies, manage their home, access their community, look after their wellbeing, or simply live the life they choose. Personal Assistants provide practical support, encouragement, companionship and confidence, helping people with care or support needs to have greater choice and control over their lives.

The role offers flexibility, variety, meaningful relationships and the opportunity to see the direct impact of your work every day. For many people, it is one of the most rewarding careers available.

Two people smiling together at a laptop, one wearing headphones.

National Personal Assistant Day

Celebrating the PA Workforce

National Personal Assistant Day takes place each year on 13 November and was created to recognise, celebrate and promote the contribution Personal Assistants make to people's lives and communities. It aims to:

  • Recognise and celebrate Personal Assistants

  • Raise awareness of the role

  • Build pride and identity within the profession

  • Encourage more people to consider becoming a PA

What began as a local initiative has grown into a broader movement involving Personal Assistants, employers, local authorities, support organisations and national partners across the UK and Ireland. Together, they are helping raise the profile, visibility and value of the PA workforce.

Two people laughing together indoors, one pouring a drink for the other.

Personal Assistants wear many hats

Personal Assistants are often described as people who "wear many hats".

On any given day, a PA might be a communicator, organiser, advocate, problem-solver, supporter, motivator, travel companion, coach or planner. This variety is one of the reasons so many people enjoy the role.

The "Many Hats" theme became the inspiration for National Personal Assistant Day, recognising the wide range of skills, responsibilities and talents that Personal Assistants bring to their work every day.

Graphic illustration of a person with 6 hats on their head, stacked on top of one another

Get involved

Together we can celebrate Personal Assistants, showcase the value of the role, and inspire the next generation of people to join this rewarding profession.

This year we're encouraging everyone to celebrate the amazing Personal Assistants across the country by taking part in the "Wear a Hat" challenge.

Why a hat?

Because Personal Assistants wear many hats every day. The hat is a simple symbol of the diverse skills, talents and responsibilities that make the role so unique.

Here's how you can join in:

🎩 Wear a hat on National Personal Assistant Day

📸 Share a photo on social media

💙 Post a thank you message to a Personal Assistant

📖 Tell a story about how a PA has made a difference

📣 Help us promote the role and encourage others to consider becoming a Personal Assistant

Use the hashtags:

#NationalPersonalAssistantDay

#PAandProud #EmployPAs

  • “I would just do the bits that they needed me to do.”

  • “I had never considered the personal care industry as a career but now treasure an ongoing friendship with the PA I worked with for 5 years”

  • “I put myself in their shoes and think, what would I want and just work with that”

  • “The role is really rewarding, enjoyable and fun.”

  • “You work with an Individual Employer, not for them.”

  • “Skills needed to be a good PA are to be a good listener, to understand their wishes and work with them, not direct them.”

  • “Kath said she would definitely recommend becoming a PA. She cherishes it and when you can see the difference you make in someone’s life it’s phenomenal.”

  • “I would help her make the smaller decisions, giving prompts and support and help her with her working life.”

  • “When you make that relationship with another person, you don’t feel like you are employed,”

  • “When you make that relationship with another person, you don’t feel like you are employed,”

  • “If you enjoy what you do, it doesn’t feel like work, and it is just so rewarding”

  • “I feel like you are part of their journey.”

  • “Be friendly, be approachable… that’s the first step”

  • “My individual employer says she doesn’t want a carer, she wants a friend,”

  • “You choose who your own friends due to how much you get on with them, and there’s always someone looking for a friend like you to work with.”

  • “He loves being in a position to direct his own support to meet his changing needs and interests.”

  • “Each day is different, as they help him to achieve his goals and do things he enjoys”

  • “Zahid would recommend employing PAs to anyone looking for personalised support at home because you are your own boss, without anyone telling you what to do.”

  • “Understanding that everyone is different really helps to build positive relationships with the people you are working with”

  • “Amber loves this work because every week is different.”

  • “That’s because over the years the family have come to trust me to do everything and anything”

  • “I love the variation; we do something different every week.”

  • “I feel like I’ve achieved what I set out to do, find something that’s more rewarding”

  • “A positive about having a direct payment is that my son has a say in his care”

  • “I like the flexibility and the relationship and trust that has developed between us.”

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