Frequently Asked Questions

Everything you need to know about using Care Opt, from finding and booking a support worker to payments, safety, cancellations, and joining the platform as a support worker.

General

Booking & Payments

Choosing a Support Worker

For Support Workers

Trust & Safety

Funding & Cancellations

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Frequently Asked Questions

General

What is Care Opt?

Is Care Opt an agency or a marketplace platform?

How does Care Opt work?

Where does Care Opt operate?

What type of support can I find on Care Opt?

Do I need an account to use Care Opt?

Booking & Payments

How quickly can I find and book a support worker?

How do I book a support worker?

How are payments held and released?

How do I pay for visits?

When is my payment taken?

What is the 12% fee?

Is there a minimum booking length?

Can I change my booking or care needs later?

Can I book urgent or short-notice support?

Can I hire the worker directly outside the platform?

Will I receive a booking confirmation and payment receipt?

Choosing a Support Worker

How does Care Opt match clients and workers?

How do I find the right support worker?

What happens if I cannot find a suitable worker in my area?

Can I speak to or interview a support worker before booking?

Can I meet a worker before booking?

What questions should I ask before choosing a worker?

Can I book the same support worker again?

Do you offer hourly, overnight, live-in, or respite support?

For Support Workers

How do I join Care Opt as a support worker?

Do I need to be self-employed to join?

What documents do I need to join the platform?

How much experience do I need?

How much can I earn?

When do I get paid?

Can I choose my own hours?

Can I choose which clients I work with?

How do I create a strong profile?

Can I upload a video to my profile?

How do taxes work as a self-employed support worker?

Do I get holiday pay or sick pay?

What happens if I need time off or become unwell?

How do travel costs work?

What tasks am I expected to do, and what tasks are not allowed?

Can I support with medication?

Are support workers insured?

How do I update my bank details or documents?

What happens if there are no suitable jobs in my area?

Trust & Safety

What checks do you carry out before a worker is approved?

How are support workers verified?

How does Care Opt help keep payments secure?

How is my personal data used?

What happens if there is a safeguarding concern?

How do I report an incident or complaint?

What should I do if I am not happy with a visit?

What responsibilities stay with the client and which are handled by Care Opt?

Funding & Cancellations

Can I pay using direct payments, local authority funding, or NHS funding?

Can I use local authority funding or direct payments?

Can I use NHS funding to book support through Care Opt?

What is your cancellation policy?

How do refunds work?

Will I receive a refund if I cancel?

What happens if a worker cancels, is sick, or cannot attend?

What happens if a visit does not go ahead?

Can I reschedule instead of cancelling?

Who should I contact if I have a payment, refund, or cancellation issue?

Still have questions?