What are Direct Payments?

If you are eligible for services you will be given the option to organize and manage your own care through the Direct Payments Scheme. This means we will give you money to have control and choice over the care coming into your home and your life. If you are willing and able to, we will provide you with the assistance and support you may need to set up your Direct Payment.

Note: The Social Services Direct Payments Scheme is NOT the same as the Department of Work and Pensions scheme that pays welfare benefits.

Who can have Direct Payments?

You may be able to get Direct Payments if you are 16 or over, have been assessed as needing a community care service and fall into one of the groups below:

  • People with a physical disability
  • People with a sensory impairment
  • People with a learning disability
  • People with mental ill health
  • People affected by HIV/AIDS
  • Older people
  • Carers
  • Carers of a disabled child
  • Disabled persons with parental responsibility for a child

You will also need to show that you are willing and able to manage a Direct Payment. You can get help to arrange your direct payment.

How can Direct Payments be used?

Social Services can make Direct Payments for all community care services they would normally arrange or provide. This includes:

  • Help with personal care e.g. bathing, toileting
  • Help with practical tasks at home
  • Help with activities in the community e.g. leisure, social and educational activities
  • Help with caring e.g. respite care, taking a break from caring

Typically, Direct Payments may be used to enable you to recruit and pay a Personal Assistant to provide this help.

It is also possible to have a mixed package of care. This is where Social Services arranges some of your care and the rest is arranged by yourself through a Direct Payment.

What will I need to do?

If you decide to use Direct Payments you will be in charge of arranging your own care services. You can have help to do this. Your responsibilities will include:

  • Making arrangements to receive and manage the cash payments e.g. opening a separate bank account
  • Keeping records of spend and submitting returns to the Council
  • Making sure that Direct Payments are used only for services that you have been assessed as needing

If you choose to employ your own staff you will also be responsible for:

  • Recruiting and employing staff (staff can include close relatives who do not live in your home)
  • Organising and managing staff’s day to day tasks

Can I have help to arrange my Direct Payment?

Yes.The Council has a contract with an independent organisation, Disability Action Waltham Forest, who can guide you through all the stages of setting up a Direct Payment, including assistance with:

  • Recruiting workers e.g. writing job descriptions, placing adverts and holding interviews
  • Employing workers e.g. agreeing terms and conditions of work, drafting contracts
  • Giving general advice and information

What is the Council responsible for?

Social Services will:

  • Assess and review your care needs on a regular basis
  • Advise and support you to manage your care needs
  • Check that Direct Payments are working well for you
  • Check you have cover arrangements in place when your Personal Assistant is sick or on annual leave

What amount will I receive?

Your community care assessment will say what your needs are and what type and level of service you are entitled to. Social Services will work with you to agree a Care Plan. This will state the number of hours of care Social Services will fund. If you choose Direct Payments, you will receive a flat rate for each hour (this covers the money paid to a Personal Assistant/agency and associated costs e.g. national insurance, advertising, sick leave etc.).

Will I have to pay a charge?

Like all other care, you will be assessed to see if you need to pay a contribution towards your care depending on your individual financial circumstances. The Financial Assessment Unit will calculate any financial charge after the community care assessment has been carried out. They will also check to help you make sure you are claiming all the benefits you may be eligible for.

Direct Payments do not affect your welfare benefits; they are not taken into account when social security benefits are calculated. They are not income taxed.

More information

If you think you may be eligible for community care services and would like an assessment please contact your local Social Services First Response Team. If you already receive community care services and would like to consider Direct Payments, please contact your Social Services Team.

Disability Action Waltham Forest (Provide comprehensive support during all stages of setting up a Direct Payment)
1a Warner Road
Walthamstow  E17 7DY
Tel 020 8509 0812

Download information about Direct Payments

Image of the cover of the managing your own social care leaflet

Please click here to download a copy of the 'Managing your own social care' leaflet (243Kb, PDF file, document reference DP07-2155, September 2007). If you would like a printed copy of the leaflet sent to you please contact your local social services office.