What are Direct Payments?
Direct Payments are payments made to people who would be eligible to receive a service from Social Services
Local authorities must offer Direct Payments for care and support services after they assess needs.
Direct payments will usually be offered to people eligible and assessed as requiring a service. Social Services will use direct payments to help people have choice and control in their lives. This gives them an alternative to social care services from the Vale of Glamorgan Council.
Payments are made directly to a person or their representative e.g., Suitable Person. They use the money to set up their own care or support. This lets them choose who gives the support, as well as when and where it happens.
Direct payments are not a form of income. A direct payment is provided to enable an individual with eligible care and support needs, or a carer of a person with care and support needs, to meet their well-being outcomes identified in their care and support plan. They are designed to give individuals more support and control over their care and support. There can be circumstances (due to safeguarding concerns or if a risk of fraud is present) where direct payments would not be considered appropriate.
You can use Direct Payments in many ways. Most people choose to employ a Personal Assistant (PA) however this is not the only way they can be used. You might decide to contract privately with an agency, to contract with a microenterprise, or to attend day services.
The Vale of Glamorgan Social Services will consider providing direct payments towards the cost of meeting an individual’s eligible needs for care and support under the Social Services & Well-being (Wales) Act 2014:
- Section 50 – to meet the care and support needs of an adult
- Section 51 – to meet the care and support needs of a child
- Section 52 – to meet the support needs of an unpaid carer
We must offer direct payments to an individual to meet some or all their eligible assessed needs if:
- We are satisfied that direct payments are an appropriate way of meeting needs.
- The individual has the mental capacity and can manage a direct payment, either alone or with support.
- The individual does not have appropriate mental capacity, but a suitable person has been appointed under the Mental Capacity Act 2005 to make decisions on their behalf. Where service(s) are purchased by direct payments, we must be satisfied that the service provided meets the needs of the assessed person effectively if they are aged 18 or over, or where the service is for a child in need of care and support, we are satisfied that the service safeguards the welfare of the child.
Direct payments will only be provided by if:
- The individual agrees to use the funds only to secure services set out in their Care and Support Plan.
- If the individual is 18 or over, they have provided sufficient information to allow a financial assessment to be completed, to determine if they need to contribute to costs. If the individual is 18 or over, they agree to pay any assessed contribution into the direct payment account.
Exclusions:
- We can refuse direct payments to anyone under specific court conditions. This is explained in Regulation 14 of The Care and Support (Direct Payments) (Wales) Regulations 2015.
- Section 47 of the Social Care & Well-being Act (Wales) 2014 stops local authorities from meeting needs with healthcare. Healthcare is allowed only if it’s incidental, meaning it’s a small part of another action, or ancillary, which means it supports main activities that meet a citizen’s needs. Consequently, such a restriction applies to the provision of a direct payment.
- We are not able to offer direct payments to foster carers.
What should I do if I want to find more about Direct Payments?
In order for you to get a Direct Payment you will need an assessment of your care needs. If you have an allocated social worker then contact them directly. If not please call the contact centre, C1V on 01446 700111.
Direct Payments team contact information
Email Direct Payments team at:
Team Members
- Louis Burrows – Direct Payments Development Officer – 01446 704203
- Dawn Hayman – Direct Payments Administrator – 07870608865
- Emma Langford – Direct Payments Administrator – 07759132044
Comments from those already receiving a Direct Payment:
“Thank you so much for your support, my mother’s life is certainly dramatically enhanced by being able to stay at home and without your support this simply wouldn’t be possible.”