You may choose to have a Direct Payment so you can make your own care arrangements
Following your care and support assessment, and if you have been allocated a personal budget to meet your eligible care needs, you may choose to have this money as a Direct Payment so that you can choose, arrange and pay for your own care and support.
If you qualify for help, the social care worker who completes your needs assessment will explain Direct Payments and how they work, and give you information to read. You can then take time to decide what you want you to do. You must want to have a Direct Payment and be able to manage your care and support arrangements, and keep information about how the money is used.
You can ask someone else to manage your Direct Payment for you, such as a friend, family member or volunteer. You may be thinking of employing someone to help you, this means you will take on the responsibility of an employer, so you need to know and understand the rules that employers must follow. We have organisations that can help you with this (see below).
You must set up, and have your Direct Payment paid into a separate bank account that is only used for your Direct Payment. The money must only be used to achieve the things agreed in your care and support plan.
You cannot use your Direct Payment to pay for food, gas, electricity or other utilities or long-term care in a care home. Before buying any specialist equipment first consider if it is available from the integrated Community Equipment and Home Improvement Agency – MyHome MyLife – This can normally be provided free of charge if you have been assessed by an Occupational Therapist as needing the equipment. Please see www.somersetmyhomemylife.co.uk
You can receive a Direct Payment as well as benefits. Your Direct Payment will not affect the benefits you receive. It is not the same as Direct Payments from the Department for Work and Pensions.
Independent advisory services are available to support people who have Direct Payments. Anyone having a Direct Payment for the first time should meet, or talk, with one of their experienced advisers. They can:
An independent advisor will, to start with, be able to help you manage the paperwork for a short time until you are confident with it. They will support you through the whole process, from deciding whether or not to use Direct Payments to setting up everything to get going. The advisor is there to support you once your arrangements are set up and if you have any problems or concerns about employing your staff.
Direct Payments policy May 2013
Information about Direct Payments in Easy Words
C2 Direct Payments: An introduction
C3 Direct Payments guidance
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