The following information answers the most frequently asked questions surrounding direct payments.
- What are direct payments?
- Who can't be given direct payments?
- What can direct payments be spent on?
- How to manage direct payments?
- Who can I employ with direct payments?
- How much are direct payments?
- Will I have to make a financial contribution if I receive direct payments?
1. What are direct payments?
Councils are able to offer some people money to pay for the services they need instead of arranging community services, such as home care services or day services, for them. When a council gives someone money in this way, it is known as a direct payment. People who get this money must use it to arrange services to meet their assessed care needs themselves. It is not extra income to be spent on other things that don't meet these needs.
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2. Who can't be given direct payments?
There are some people to whom the council is unable to pay a direct payment to. For further information please telephone Adult Social Services: 01724 297979
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3. What can direct payments be spent on?
The money is for you to arrange the services, that you have beed assessed as needing. The money cannot be spent to buy services from the council, as it is not allowed to sell its services in this way. You can however:
- Recruit your own 'personal assistants' to help you
- Employ self employed 'personal assistants' to help you
- Contract with an agency to provide your care.
Direct payments are intended to support independent living, so you cannot use them to pay for permanent residential care. You can use your direct payments to pay for short periods of residential care if it is agreed that you need this. Direct payments can also be used to purchase equipment you have been assessed for.
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4. How to manage direct payments
The council requires you to keep records in order to account for the money you receive. The money you receive in direct payments is for services to meet your assessed care needs. The council is responsible for checking that it is used appropriately. If you receive direct payments, then it is your responsibility to arrange the services you need, to sort out any problems with the service and to account for the way you use the money. If you use the money to employ your own staff, you will have the legal responsibilities of an employer.
Advice and support to help you manage your direct payment is available from Adult Social Services, or other companies or agencies.
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5. Who can I employ with direct payments?
People who have a direct payment can decide themselves who they want to employ to assist them with their care, providing they are eligible to work. However, you are only able to pay for services from the following people, in exceptional circumstances:
- A spouse (husband or wife)
- A partner (the other member of an unmarried couple with whom they live)
- A close relative (or their spouse or partner) who live in the same household as the person who receives the direct payments.
The council strongly advise direct payments users to ensure that all their employers have had a Criminal Records Bureau check.
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6. How much are direct payments?
How much you receive as a direct payment will depend on the level of your care needs. However, the council has a responsibility to ensure that the best value for money is achieved. Therefore, the council may not pay for some particular services, if your needs can be met in a different way that cost less.
This figure is subject to annual review. In the event services are to be purchased through an agency then adult social services will consider the costs on an individual basis with reference to the council's requirement to achieve best value. In some instances a fixed sum, rather than an hourly rate, may be paid to cover the cost of a specific service e.g. the cost of a period of respite care. The amount of money you receive will be determined by the number of hours of care the service agrees to provide for you to meet your needs. This will be determined by the council with reference to your Community Care Assessment and within available resources.
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7. Will I have to make a financial contribution if I receive direct payments?
Everyone that receives community care services are financially assessed to work out their weekly contribution a person is able to pay towards the cost of their care. The amount an individual is required to pay is dependent on their income and capital details and the amount of services they need.
For more information on direct payments contact Adult Social Services on 01724 297979.
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