What are direct payments?

A direct payment is one of the ways to receive your personal budget and gives you the greatest level of choice and control over the services you receive.

If you choose direct payments you will receive money to arrange your own support to meet your care needs, instead of adult social care services arranging the support for you. You take responsibility for arranging your services, managing your money and employing staff where required. You can get help to do this.

Direct payments are also available to the parents of children with disabilities who have been assessed as eligible to receive services.

Access to direct payments is through your care manager following the self-directed support process.

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 the benefits of using direct payments?

The benefits of using direct payments are:

• You have greater choice and flexibility over how and when your support needs are met
• You have more control over your life and the way you choose to live it
• You can choose support that helps you to remain more independent
• You can choose who provides your care

Who can receive direct payments?

Anyone who is eligible for support following an assessment will be given a personal budget and can choose to receive the cash sum as direct payments.

There are certain situations when some people may not be able to choose direct payments. These include people who have been placed under certain conditions by the courts for drug or alcohol dependencies and people subject to some mental health or criminal justice laws. We will talk to you about this if it applies.