Direct Payments
People who have been assessed as needing help from Social Services may ask to receive a Direct Payment to help meet their personal care needs.
The money must then be used by the individual to purchase their own care instead of receiving care services directly from the Social Services Department.
If it is agreed following an assessment, that you qualify to receive a community care service you can ask to receive a monthly payment to organise and purchase those services yourself.
Who can receive a direct payment?
Direct Payments can only be offered to people who have been assessed as needing Community Care Services.
The following people have a right to request a Direct Payment to purchase services:-
- young people aged 16/17 with disabilities / illnesses
- young people aged 16 /17 caring for others
- persons between 18 and 64 with disabilities
- people over 65 years old
- carers who provide care for young persons aged 16/17, people with disabilities / illnesses and or adults
Consideration will only be given to people who are ‘willing’ to receive a Direct Payment. This means that participation is entirely voluntary. You cannot be made to participate in the scheme and can ask to receive a service directly from the Social Services.
Direct Payments are only usually provided to people needing five hours or more of service per week and the Service Users must be ‘able’ to receive and manage a Direct Payment either with help or by themselves.
The option of joining the scheme is open to individuals who are due to receive services from Social Services for the first time and those currently receiving help from Social Services.
What are the benefits of a direct payment?
The aim of a Direct Payment is to give eligible Service Users greater control over who, how, when and where they receive help and support in order to promote greater independence, flexibility and choice. In this way, the person providing assistance is accountable to the Direct Payments recipient, not to the Social Services Department.
For instance, someone needing help to get out of bed in the morning may have difficulty obtaining a service at their preferred time because the home carer may have a number of other individuals to visit. Service Users receiving a Direct Payment can employ someone to obtain the help they need at a time of their choosing.
What the authority expects from the service users?
Before you receive your first Direct Payment you must enter into a signed agreement with the Local Authority about:
- how the money is paid
- the purpose and use of the money
- the way in which you will account for how the money is spent
What can it be used for?
At the present time, a Direct Payment can be made to purchase personal assistance only e.g. help with personal care, essential household cleaning, and meal preparation.
Direct Payments cannot be used to purchase residential care.
How much is a direct payment?
Different rates have been established for different services which are based on the cost of purchasing the service from the cheapest care provider. Payments are presented every 28 days, by automatic bank transfer, to an account set up by the service user specifically for the purpose of receiving a Direct Payment.
During the initial set up, service users may be provided with a one-off payment to allow them to purchase employers liability insurance which they are obliged to do as an employer of staff.
All Direct Payment recipients will be subject to an assessment under the Fair Charging Policy just like any other Service Users and the direct payment will be paid net of the financial contribution.
Who can I employ?
You can employ any suitable person as long as the person is not a relative or partner. However, you may be required to complete some checks and obtain references. If the Direct Payments is used to employ staff directly the service user may find themselves taking on the responsibility of an employer.
This means that they would become responsible for ensuring that they comply with employment related legislation and regulation including paying Tax and National Insurance contributions (where appropriate, and paying the National Minimum Wage etc.)
