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Contents
Big enough to deliver.
Small enough to care.
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Services : Direct Payments
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Direct Payments
Choice, control, and flexibility |
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The Direct Payments scheme
is about independent living and your right to make your own choices –
and to control your own life. If you are eligible for care
services, Social Services can give you the money to purchase these
directly for yourself, rather than arranging them for you. When you are
assessed for welfare benefits this income is not taken into
consideration. Under the Community Care (Direct Payments) Act 1996 and
the Carers and Disabled Children Act 2000, Local Authorities are allowed
to make cash payments to some people instead of arranging services for
them. |
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Who can receive Direct
Payments? |
Willing and Able? |
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You may be able to get
Direct Payments if you are 16 or over and have been assessed by Social
Services as needing a service. You must have either a physical
disability; a sensory disability; a learning disability; HIV/AIDS;
mental illness or you may be a carer.
You may also be a person
with parental responsibilities for a disabled child or a disabled parent
who has been assessed by Social Services as needing a support and care
service.
You must be "willing and able" to receive Direct
Payments - see the box on the right. |
To
have Direct Payments, you must be "willing and able" to arrange and
manage your own care, with help if needed. (See below for a
summary of what this means).
If you decide that don't want Direct
Payments, you don't have to have them - in that case, Reading
Borough Council will meet your assessed care needs by arranging your
care directly. |
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What can I use Direct
Payments for? |
What do I have to do? |
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You can
have Direct Payments to use in a variety of ways, as agreed by you and
your social worker.
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Personal care such as help with dressing, washing or eating meals
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Practical care including shopping, collecting prescriptions, help
preparing meals
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Escorting/transport
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Day
time activities
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Giving
carers an opportunity for a break from their responsibilities.
In most
cases this will mean finding someone who you pay to help you with your
care needs. You could employ your own personal assistant, or pay
for services from an employee of a care agency. |
To set up your Direct
Payments, you must:
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Open a new bank account, and use it for Direct
Payments money only.
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Arrange to employ personal assistants, or for an agency
employee to supply your care
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Sign an agreement with Reading Borough Council, which
specifies the terms of your Direct Payments.
While you are
receiving your Direct Payments you must:
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Keep receipts, bank statements, time sheets for personal
assistants, and make returns to Reading Borough Council of your
payments.
For more details of
what this means in practice, contact us. |
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What are the advantages of
Direct Payments? |
| In a few words - Choice, Control, and Flexibility.
Within certain limits, you have a wide
choice over who provides
your care. By employing a personal assistant, or dealing directly
with a care agency, you have more
control over how your care
is provided. With control comes
flexibility,
allowing you greater scope for arranging your care to suit you needs. |
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There are currently about 75 people in the Reading area in receipt
of Direct Payments. The support service for Direct Payments will
be transferred from Age Concern Berkshire to Reading Borough Council,
starting in June 2007. |
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For general
information on Direct Payments, call us on |
0118 959 4242 |
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