What is a direct payment?

A direct payment is money we can give you to arrange services to meet the needs identified in your assessment.  We have offered direct payments to service users since 1996 and we will continue to offer them under self directed support with personal budgets.

Once we have carried out an assessment of your needs, we will work with you to draw up a support plan of how you think you can use your personal budget to meet your needs.

There are three ways in which you can use your personal budget:

• we can give you your personal budget as a direct payment so you can arrange your own services in the way in which you prefer;
• we can arrange the services you prefer for you using your personal budget; or
• you can have a combination of the two - taking some of your personal budget as a direct payment and arranging your own services and having us arrange some services for you.

Some services you decide you want, may only be possible using a Direct Payment such as using a local person to help you or buying from a local provider.

A Direct Payment is money we can give you, to enable you to arrange and be in control of the services you choose to meet your needs. For example, you can use the Direct Payment to:

• employ your own staff;
• design your own service that fits your choices and needs;
• buy equipment that better fits your lifestyle;
• arrange your own respite care to offer you or your carer a break;
• pay a care agency to provide you directly with services; or
• a combination of any of these.

However, there are some rules.  You must spend your Direct Payment on things that your assessment shows that you need.  You can never use your Direct Payment to buy:

• services from the local authority but you can ask us to buy them on your behalf;
• long term residential care; or
• anything that does not meet your agreed needs.

If you would like more information, ask your social worker or see our booklets.