Direct Payments must be used to fulfill your needs for personal support, as agreed in your Care Plan. Your Local Authority will determine the hourly rate of payments available to you. The rate that you pay for your personal assistants will be lower than this. The surplus is necessary to meet your other employment costs and to encourage good employment practice.

Examples of how you can use Direct Payments:

(Please note that what is an allowable use of direct payments in one local authority area, may not be in another. This list is just shows examples).

• Pay for recruiting and training your personal assistants.
• Cover holiday / sickness pay and arrange alternative support at these times.
• Give enhanced payments eg. weekend, bank holiday or unsociable hours.
• Pay for your administrative costs or accounting requirements.
• Pay for any agreed equipment. When buying these items you require a receipt for the amount paid.
• Pay for respite or short breaks
• Pay an agency to provide your care support.
• With agreement from Social Services, pay a third party to help you arrange your own support.
• Pay for day opportunities
• To assist people moving from a residential home back into the community

Although some variations and restrictions may apply, Local Authorities can be both flexible and imaginative to ensure that you receive the most appropriate support package. This is not an exhaustive list and if you feel there is a necessary cost which is not listed, then ask for help and advice. It is important that you use the money for legitimate purposes, otherwise it is presumed that that level of support is not required, and your care plan may be re-assessed with reduced payments.

Version 4.0

Version Date: November 2009

The Rowan Organisation - Supporting Independence Through Choice