Direct Payments
The Care Act says that if someone needs help and support to live their life, they can have a Social Care Assessment.
The Assessment says what care and support can be provided and how much it will cost.
This is called a Personal Budget.
A personal budget can be used by Adult Social Care to arrange the care and support someone needs.
Or a personal budget can be given to the person needing care and support so they can make their own choices.
This is called a Direct Payment.
Who can have a Direct Payment?
A Direct Payment can be made to someone who has had an assessment and Adult Social Care think they need care and support.
The person will need to be able to look after the money and use it properly.
If they cannot look after the money, then someone else can look after it for them.
Having a direct payment means people can decide about the right care and support to help them.
Direct payments can be made to people who
- Are frail and older
- Are over 16 and have a disability including a learning disability
- Have sensory disabilities
- Have mental health needs
- Have an acquired brain injury
- Are looking after a child under 16
- Are Carers over 16 years old.
A social worker may need to decide if the person is able to have a Direct Payment. This is called a Mental Capacity Assessment.
What can a Direct Payment be used for?
A Direct Payment is used to meet the needs of the person.
The needs are written in the Care and Support Plan which is given to the person after an assessment.
The person can choose the best way for their needs to be met, and this can be at home, in the community or somewhere else that they want.
Direct Payments give people more choices and let them decide what they want.
What Direct Payments cannot be used for?
Anything that is not going to help meet the needs of the person written on the Care and Support plan
- Anything that is illegal
- Gambling
- A long stay in a care home or residential home
- Food and drink
- Respite which is longer than four weeks in each year.
- Services provided by the Council or NHS
- Paying someone in the same family home to provide care and support.
Who can help if people have questions about Direct Payments?
A member of staff from Adult Social Care can help the person to make sure they understand about Direct Payments.
Each year the person who has a Direct Payment will meet with staff from Adult Social Care to check if their needs have changed. This is called a review.
Any changes can be made at the review.
There are 2 organisations in Torbay that can help people with Direct Payments
Support Networks helps people with a Direct Payment to find Personal Assistants
Phone number: 01803 314876
Email: tsdft.supportnetworks@nhs.net
Address:
The Windmill Centre
Pendennis Road
Torquay
TQ2 7QR
Disability Focus helps people across Devon who have a Direct Payment or a Personal Health Budget.
They can help and support people to look after their Direct Payment and can help with paying Personal Assistants.
Disability Focus can be contacted on:
Telephone: 01802 867968
Email: info@disabilityfocus.org
