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This page tells you all about Direct Payments.
What is a Direct Payment?
A Direct Payment is a sum of money paid to a disabled person by their local council to enable them to individually purchase their assessed social and care needs. One-off payments can also be made to purchase apparatus and equipment. Direct Payments are about enabling disabled people to have more choice, take more control of their lives and to make more of the decisions that affect their lives. They are designed to support independent living.
Government Guidance states:
“The purpose of direct payments is to give recipients control over their own life by providing an alternative to social care services provided by a local council. [...] This will help increase opportunities for independent, social inclusion and enhanced self-esteem.” Department of Health, 2003b
An example of Direct Payments:
“Ms. Marks is offered support from Monday to Friday whilst her partner is at work. Following the assessment framework, the social worker focused particularly on family and environmental factors affect Ms. Marks' capacity to parent and the potential of community care and children's services to meet the needs of the family in the round. Following this, the social worker set up a meeting with the direct payment support service. The direct payments adviser helped Ms. Marks and her partner to write a job description, advertise and recruit someone to support her with looking after her baby.
“Under Ms. Marks' direction, the personal assistant is able to support the baby on her mother's knee, allowing her to cuddly and hold her. She has the help she needs to feed the baby with a bottle, and support with other tasks such as lifting and bathing the baby. In a short time, the baby learnt how to hold on to her mother, so that she can pick the baby up without support and the personal assistant is able to take a more appropriate supporting role rather than direct caring. With the support she receives, Ms. Marks is also able to prepare an evening meal for the family, which gives her partner the freedom to spend more time with the baby, and reduces the stress on the family.” Ref. Department of Health, Direct Payments Guidance (2003, page 31)
When Care Managers/Social Workers complete a care needs assessment for a disabled person, Direct Payments, with or without support, should be given as one of the options of meeting care needs.
Direct Payments can be used to employ personal assistants to assist disabled employers in meeting their care needs. The Independent Living Schemes (York) can assist disabled employers in the employment of their Personal Assistants including recruitment, contracts of employment and a payroll service.
If disabled people would like to find out more about Direct Payments, the Independent Living Schemes (York) can visit them in their own home to give them enough information for them to make an informed decision.
How can a disabled person receive a Direct Payment?
Once a care needs assessment and a financial assessment has been completed by the local council, an eligible disabled person has to enter into an agreement with the council. This agreement sets out the responsibilities of both the disabled person and the council and states the amount of money to be paid, be it a payment four weekly in advance or a one-off lump sum payment.
Responsibilities of the disabled person include ensuring that the council receive a completed income and expenditure form and bank statement/user account print out each quarter. The Independent Living Schemes are able to assist in the completion and submission of this form.
Customer Agreement for Direct PaymentsMore information on Direct Payments
You may find more information in the following places: