Direct Payments - What will I have to do?

To obtain a Direct Payment, you will have to produce a Direct Payment Plan (a plan of how you would use the payment) and a costing plan (of the costs involved).  The care plan will describe:

• your care needs, including your needs identified in your assessment;
• which needs will be met by Direct Payments;
• how those needs will be met, that is, the services or equipment you will buy or how you will meet the need;
• whether there is likely to be any variation in the way you meet your needs;
• what support, if any, you might need to manage the Direct Payment; and
• what contingency arrangements you have made to cover emergencies (for example, your usual carer has gone off sick).

You will also need to provide a detailed costing plan with your care plan.  This should be as realistic as possible and cover all the costs, which you are likely to encounter.

The Direct Payments Advice and Support Service can give you more information and practical help in doing this.

If you are going to employ staff, you will need to include their hourly rate, the number of hours, any Employer National Insurance costs, liability insurance, training and so on.  If you decide to buy a service from an agency, you will need to include the number of hours and the particular rates that apply to all aspects of the work, any mileage charges and so on.

You may choose to meet your needs using a variety of methods and these will need to be costed carefully to ensure that you can meet your needs with the Direct Payment.