All DIRECT PAYMENT
In the past people who needed social care received their service directly from their social services; this might have included home care, day care or even respite care. More recently the social services began contracting out some of these services to outside agencies.
Now though the social services are adopting a more ’client-centred’ approach by putting their service-users in control of their own services.
Some people have Individualised Budgets; this means that they purchase all of their services themselves from the money that the social services give them.
Some people employ their own PAs. This works really well if you have relatives or friends that you can employ. People with Individualised budgets may have a whole team of PAs to provide around the clock care. Most people receive some services from the social services and some Direct Payment money.
How you qualify for Direct Payments
You can only get Direct Payments if the social services decide that you need social care. So if you are already receiving home care or using day care services you would be entitled to Direct Payments. Anyone who is disabled and is aged sixteen or over can have Direct Payments or anyone caring for a disabled child can be given Direct Payments. An adult with learning difficulties, who lacks the mental capacity to deal with Direct Payments themselves, can also receive Direct Payments as long as someone can deal with it for them.
You will need to ask your social worker for an assessment. Usually Direct Payments are worked out in hours rather than money. For example, you might be given ten hours of Direct Payment money a week. This might be a larger amount of money if you require two carers, or if you decide to use agency staff.
What you can use your Direct Payments for
- You may be able to use the money to pay people to come and look after you at home.
- You may receive money so that you can go out and enjoy a social life.
- You may receive money for someone to take the person you care for out for a few hours so that you can have a break.
- You may be able to use the money for short breaks (weekends away).
The positive aspects of Direct Payments
The main benefits are choice and flexibility. In the past you probably had very little choice when it came to the services you received. Plus the service would be the same time and same day every week. Often the only variable was the carers! With Direct Payments you can decide yourself when you go out and where and who with.
What is involved when employing Personal Assistants?
To start with you would be an employer; this means you would be registered with the Inland Revenue and would have to deal with the tax for your PAs. The social services will probably provide a payroll service or another agency will provide this service on their behalf. The payroll service will work out exactly how much you have to pay your staff each month and how much tax and National Insurance you have to deduct. You will need to keep timesheets for all of your PAs. You will need Employers Liability Insurance and the social services will help you with this. You will have to keep accurate records of all the money you spend.
You will have to train your staff yourself or use some of your Direct Payment money to source specialised training. Some training may be provided free from your own specialist nurses.
You may find your PA has another job or family commitments so may not always be able to work the days and times that entirely suit you and you may have to reach a compromise.
How Out & About & Away can help you to get the most out of your Direct Payments
- We can help you to make the most of your Direct Payments.
- We can take you or the person you care for out whenever you want without you having to employ any PAs yourself.
- We do all the training and can even arrange training specific to your needs.
- Our staff don’t work traditional nursing shifts so there’s no problem going out for a full day or a late night.
- Not employing your own staff will greatly reduce the amount of paperwork you’ll need to do.
- If you only receive a few hours of Direct Payments a week you may be struggling to find someone willing to work such few hours. It doesn’t matter to us how many or how few hours you have as our staff can make their hours up working with other people.
- If you have enough money we can organise a truly enjoyable short break.
- We can give the person you care for a really nice day out whilst you get a break.
- We are a ‘not for profit’ company and therefore don’t charge as much as many nursing or domiciliary care agencies, so you’ll get more for your money.
- We do much more than just taking people out to do their shopping!
