Direct payments provide individuals with an opportunity to choose their care package and their carer or home care agency. Using direct payments for help at home gives them flexibility and independence in their choice of care.
At Jothno Care, we would be happy to advise you on how to arrange care using direct payments from your local authority. We work closely with our local council (Newham London) and other boroughs across London (Hackney, Haringey, Barking & Dagenham, Enfield, Slough) in the areas where our care teams support service users.
What are direct payments?
Direct payments are payments made by a local authority to an individual or organisation. They are made when a need for social care services has been identified. The person who will receive direct payments has to be assessed to establish what level of support they need.
Direct payments are not a benefit. Receiving direct payments will not affect any benefits you already get. They are intended to help the person source their own care and have a choice in the type of care they use.
If the person does not want to arrange their own home care, the local authority can help them by arranging it for them or employing a personal assistant on their behalf.
It’s important to note that if you employ a personal assistant directly rather than through an agency you will be their employer and you will need to fulfil your responsibilities as an employer.
This can include recruitment fees, paying national insurance, statutory holiday pay, sick pay and maternity pay, employers liability insurance and public liability insurance, and VAT (Citizens Advice).
If you hire a home care agency, you’ll need to ensure they comply with current registration requirements (Newham London).
Who can get direct payments?
Direct payments can be made to:
- Disabled adults with short or long term needs
- Parents of disabled children for children’s services
- Adult carers with responsibility for a person in need or a disabled child
- Elderly people who need community care services
You will only get payments if you have been assessed by social services as needing care and support services (gov.uk).
How much are direct payments?
Direct payments are designed to be sufficient to provide the care that you need and in order to fulfil the local authority’s duty of care. Once you have been assessed your support worker will let you know how much your direct payments will be. They will vary depending on how much care you need, whether it is a few hours a week or 24/7 live in care.
Many local authorities don’t publish a rate, because the direct payments are tied to the care package that is required and it is individual to the person who needs help at home. But The London Borough of Merton have published that they will pay £21.43 per hour for hourly care and up to £1,499.87 per week for live in care (correct at the time of writing).
The money that is paid out, the “direct payment”, can then be used for a variety of purposes to help at home.
What can direct payments be used for?
Direct payments can be used to support a person to stay safely at home. They can be used for a home carer or live in care support, for outings and daily activities to maintain a connection with the local community, or short term breaks and stays in a care home. Longer stays in residential homes are not covered by direct care payments.
For example, Sally wanted a care provider who was flexible, so that they could arrange care around her membership of a club that she had attended for many years and she could continue to attend. Mohammed wanted to hire his neighbour as his care assistant, because they had a lot of interests and hobbies in common and he trusted him (Newham London).
If you choose a service that costs more than the local authority will provide, you may need to pay a top-up amount.
Can I use direct payments to pay a family member to care for me?
No, you can’t use direct payments to pay for a close family member to care for you. Close family members include parents, children (sons, daughters, step-sons, step-daughters – except in the case of children’s services), aunts, uncles, brothers, sisters, grandparents or their partners & spouses (in-laws) (Citizens Advice).
Direct payments can be paid to family carers so that they can have a short respite break. This is called a carer direct payment or a carer budget payment. It is usually a one-off payment (Carers UK).
If you are unable to understand and manage your direct care payments, you can ask for someone to receive and manage the payments for you.
Can I use a direct payment for equipment?
Yes, you can use your direct payment to pay for accessibility or mobility equipment. If you purchase equipment directly, rather than asking the local authority to supply them, you will be responsible for maintaining the equipment (Citizens Advice).
Can I use a direct payment for a cleaner?
Yes, direct payments can be used to pay a cleaner to help you maintain a tidy and healthy home environment. One of the home care services we provide is light housekeeping. This includes washing, meal preparation and washing up, laundry, bed making, etc. It can be covered by your direct care payment.
“They’ve been fantastic in helping me to enjoy my independence again. The personalised support I’ve received makes me feel like a new person” – Raihan A
Using direct payments for help at home
Most of the home care services we provide at Jothno Care can be covered by a direct payment.
We provide personal care assistance, i.e. help with getting out of bed, getting dressed, going to the toilet, eating healthy food, medication management, and providing companionship and befriending services.
We can accompany you to activities in the local area and arrange transport to them. We provide a shopping service for the elderly.
Call our experienced care team on 020 4548 9300 and we can talk you through the direct payments process and how to access the care you need to stay at home safely and happily.