National PA Day 2026: Celebrating Personal Assistants and Strengthening Our Impact Together
On Friday 13 November 2026, Self Directed Support Scotland (SDSS) will join organisations, Personal Assistants (PAs) and PA employers across Scotland in celebrating National Personal Assistant Day 2026. SDSS, alongside partners and organisations across Scotland, will be supporting a week of campaign activities from today (9 November) until National PA Day itself.
Personal Assistants play a distinctive and essential role in enabling disabled people to live independently, exercise choice and control, and participate fully in their communities.
The unique model of Personal Assistance is built around the individual needs, preferences and aspirations of the person employing a PA. From everyday activities to accessing education, employment, social opportunities and community life, PAs provide flexible and personalised support that enables disabled people to live their lives in the way they choose.
This year’s National PA Day theme in , “Strengthen Our Impact”, recognises the vital contribution of Personal Assistant Employers and Personal Assistants working well together to independent living, celebrates the expertise of PA employers and highlights the difference we can make by working together to improve recognition, opportunities and support for the PA workforce.
Throughout the week, we will highlight how we are supporting PA employers and their PAs at a national level, as part of our co-chairing role alongside Scottish Government of the Personal Assistant Programme Board. We will showcase the broad range of support available to PA employers and their PAs, promote PA recruitment opportunities, and share resources focused on wellbeing, training and professional development.
Personal Assistants can access communications resources to take part in the PA Handbook.
Organisations can participate by using The National PA Day 2026 Stakeholder Communications Pack.
SDSS will also host an informal Personal Assistance Networking Event on Friday 13 November, in Edinburgh. The event will bring together, PA employers, PAs, support organisations and anyone interested in personal assistance to share experiences, make connections and discover useful resources and learning opportunities.
We encourage everyone to get involved by sharing experiences, celebrating good practice and helping raise awareness of personal assistance using the campaign hashtags #StrengthenOurImpact and #NationalPersonalAssistantDay.
At the heart of Personal Assistance is a working relationship based on mutual respect, trust and understanding, with PA employers directing how their support is provided. PAs bring a wide range of skills and experiences to this important work, often making a significant difference to people’s lives in ways that are not always visible or publicly recognised.
The Scottish PA Workforce Survey 2025 demonstrated both the pride PAs take in their work and the challenges they continue to face. While 94% of respondents reported feeling proud to be a PA, only 31% felt that their work had become better recognised in society.
