Direct payments

Direct payments from our social care and health services are different from the Department of Work and Pensions’ Direct Payments, which are about having welfare benefits, and retirement pensions paid into individuals’ bank accounts.

What are they?

Direct payments are an alternative way of providing social care services to those people who need support to live independently in the community. Following an assessment of needs and an agreement that eligible needs will be met, Plymouth City Council will give people the choice of having social care services arranged for them or trying a direct payment.

Basically, a direct payment gives individuals requiring social care support the opportunity to arrange and pay for it themselves. Being able to arrange and control services to meet eligible needs means people can organise their lives flexibly on a day-to-day basis. It also means that people have a bigger choice in how to meet their eligible needs.

Who are they for?

A wide range of people entitled to, or getting social care services can have a direct payment:

• parents of children with disabilities who have been assessed as needing social care support
• young people aged 16 and 17 years with disabilities who have been assessed as needing social care support
• people aged 18 and over, including older people and disabled parents who have been assessed as needing social care support
• carers from the age of 16 who are entitled to, or getting carers’ services to enable them to continue caring for a person aged 18 years and over

How can you use one?

Generally, you can buy any type of service that will meet your eligible needs. The money you are given can only be used for social care support and nothing else. The direct payments officer would discuss with you all the ideas and choices you may have for meeting your eligible needs. Most people using direct payments employ a personal assistant; others use it to buy services from an agency. The money cannot be used to buy permanent residential care or services from the Council.

How can I get one?

Contact us if you are already receiving services from Plymouth City Council's social care and health services.

Also contact us if you are not receiving services but think you might be entitled to social care support. We will ask you some questions about your needs and circumstances and then inform you of what needs to happen next.

What help is available?

You can have as much help as you to need to meet the responsibilities involved in using a direct payment. We can offer advice and support with any aspect of the direct payment scheme in Plymouth as well as:

• help with finding staff
• payroll Service to help with the tasks associated with employing people, working out tax, national insurance, holiday pay etc
• training in using a direct payment

Please contact us to request any of the following documents:

• Direct payments service policy and practice guidance
• Direct payments support scheme leaflet
• Managing your child’s care leaflet

Documents

To view these documents you might need to download some software. Visit our downloads page for more information.

	Direct payments for adults - a leaflet about direct payments - what they are and who can benefit from them. File format Adobe Acrobat (pdf) - 158KB
	Direct payments Service Policy and Guidance - Guidance and policy document for direct payments. File format Adobe Acrobat (pdf) - 393.5KB