8/14/2019 Adult Social Care Direct Payments Leaflet 2008

1/2

Contents

Introduction

What are Direct Payments?

How can Direct Payments be used?

Can Direct Payments be used for Equipment?

Who can have Direct Payments?

Do Direct Payments affect welfare benefits?

What responsibilities come with organising

Direct Payments?

Does Greenwich charge for services?

Is there help available to organise

Direct Payments?

Further Information

Compliments, Suggestions and Complaints

Introduction

This leaflet provides general information about Direct

Payments. Direct Payments can help people, who need

community care services, to have more control over their

day-to-day lives.

If you are not in receipt of community care services then

you will need to be assessed.

The information in this leaflet is intended as a guide only.

What are Direct Payments?

Direct Payments are cash payments made by local

authorities to people who need community care servicesinstead of services being arranged on their behalf.

Direct Payments came about as a result of the

Community Care (Direct Payments) Act 1996 and the

Carers and Disabled Children Act 2000, which gave local

authorities the power to make such payments.

Direct Payments are made so that individuals can arrange

and purchase their own services. Control of the money is

passed to individuals so that they can buy the support

they have been assessed as needing. This can include

employing Personal Assistants.

Direct Payments are a way of ensuring that people who

receive community care services have more control over

their day-to-day lives.

Under the Health and Social Care Act 2001 local authorities

have a duty to offer Direct Payments to anyone who is

eligible to receive services.

8/14/2019 Adult Social Care Direct Payments Leaflet 2008

2/2

Is there help available to organise Direct Payments

The Council can provide a range of support, advice and

assistance to people considering using Direct Payments.

The Council can provide help to people using Direct

Payments which includes ongoing assistance with:

Recruitment e.g. job adverts, interviews etc

Employment of workers e.g. job descriptions, contracts

Payroll and financial management

General advice and information

Your Care Manager/Social Worker can provide further

information about this service.

Where can I find more information?

For further information about Direct Payments,

please contact the Direct Payments Co-ordinator on

020 8921 3103/2489

If you believe that you are eligible for Community Care

Services and you would like an assessment for Direct

Payments please contact:

Adult & Older Peoples Services

Initial Contact Team (Adults) on 020 8921 2304

Childrens Services

Initial Response & Assessment Team 020 8921 3172

What responsibilities come with organising Direct Payments?

There are several responsibilities associated with organising

Direct Payments these include:

Opening a separate bank or building society account

(where necessary)

Recruiting and employing workers

Organising and managing your own workers

Only purchasing the type of equipment identified by a

Practitioner

Making sure that relatives who live in the same household

are not employed as personal assistants (except in

exceptional circumstances)

Keeping financial records and submitting returns to the

council for monitoring purposes

Making sure that you are using your Direct Payments

to pay only for the services you have been assessed

as needing

Does Greenwich charge for services?

Greenwich Council has a charging policy. Whether you receive

Direct Payments or your services are arranged by Adult &

Older Peoples Services/Childrens Services there will be a

charge depending on your individual financial circumstances.