Direct Payment Information Sheets

These information sheets have been provided as a guide only and should not be used as substitutes for specialist advice. We try to keep them updated, however, this cannot always be guaranteed.

Direct Payment Checklist

Before you decide to have a Direct Payment you may find it useful to read through this checklist to ensure you have considered everything.

Do you have enough information and advice about Direct Payments?

Information can be obtained from several sources including:

• Your Social Worker, who carries out an assessment of your eligible needs. What you use a Direct Payment for will depend upon what is contained in your assessment. Any questions about your assessment and what you can use your Direct Payment for should be addressed to your Social Worker.

• Our Direct Payment Support Service employs Direct Payment Advisors who will give you information before you decide to have a Direct Payment. They can also offer practical help and support with recruiting and advertising before the Direct Payment starts and afterwards should your personal assistant decide to leave. They can also give practical help and support with forms including insurance, CRB checks and bookkeeping, with budgeting and other aspects of managing your Direct Payment.

• Direct Payment Finance Officers can help with any queries relating to payment of your money into your account and with any questions you may have about audits of your Direct Payment account.

Have you considered alternatives to a Direct Payment?

You may prefer to have care delivered directly by social services or you may prefer to have some of your care met this way and some met using a Direct Payment.

Are you aware of the legal responsibilities of being a good employer?

See the following Information sheets:

• 'Responsibilities of being an Employer',

• 'Paying your staff'

• 'Contracts of Employment',

• Tax and National Insurance Contributions,

• Statutory Sick Pay, Statutory Maternity Pay and Redundancy Pay'

Have you opened a separate bank account?

If you need help to do this the Direct Payment Advisor can help you.

How will you find a Personal Assistant (PA)?

Will you pay a friend or someone you already know to be your carer or will you need to advertise for a personal assistant. The Direct Payment Advisor can help you with this, however, you will need to think about the kind of person you want to care for you, what exactly you want them to do and how they should do it. See our fact sheet 'Finding Staff'

Have you got Employers Liability insurance?

This is a legal requirement. See our Information sheet 'Insurance'

How will you cope if your Personal Assistant is ill or away on holiday?

Do you have alternative arrangements in place? This should be discussed before your Direct Payment is set up. For example you may be able to use agency staff for these purposes.

Do you know who to contact should you have a problem or are unhappy?

You should be clear who you can contact in the event of a problem. This will depend on the nature of the problem. For example if you have a problem completing the forms you need not contact your social worker. Instead you could contact the Direct Payment Support Service.

If you are unhappy with the new arrangements you should ask yourself what it is that is making you unhappy. If you have a problem managing your personal assistant, again the Direct Payment Advisor may be able to help you. If you wish to cease you Direct Payment or have your care needs reviewed you would contact your Social Worker. If the right amount of Direct Payment does not come into your bank account you should contact your Finance Officer at County Hall.

Will you need to pay a contribution to your Direct Payment?

If you normally pay a contribution to social services for your care it is likely you will make a contribution towards your Direct Payment. If you are new to Social Services, the Financial Assessment and Benefits (FAB) team will visit you to calculate what your contribution will be. Some services and some user groups will be exempt from this. Your social worker will know about this and will set up the FAB team visit. The amount of money you receive, therefore, will be minus the amount of contribution you payand you need to pay your contribution into your Direct Payment Bank Account.