What Are Direct Payments?
If Social Services have assessed a person as needing certain services, they
may allow that person to arrange them. Some services may still be provided by
Social Services, with the person arranging others themselves and paying for
these with regular cash ‘direct payments’ from Social Services. How much a
person will get depends on what Social Services think is reasonable for the
service that is needed.
If a person wants a particular service that Social Services believe is more
expensive than is reasonable, the person may have to top up the cost
themselves. In this way a person has more freedom to control how care is
provided and by whom. Direct payments can be used to meet any assessed needs,
although they cannot be used to pay for care in a care home if it is for more
than four weeks.
Who Can Get Direct Payments?
If a person falls within one of the following categories, regardless of how
old they are, the Local Authority can make direct payments:
or
- Carers, who are 16 or over, and assessed as being in need carer’s
or community care services, and willing to receive direct payments,
and able to manage those payments, and not subject to certain
mental health or criminal legislation
The parents of disabled children can receive direct payments, and can even
set up an independent trust that the direct payments can be paid in to, which
then employs staff to manage the care of the disabled child. Such a trust could
have local disability organisations as trustees, as well as the parents, but
would need the approval of the local Primary Care Trust. Our Wills, Probate and
Trusts team specialise in establishing Trusts.