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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.
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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.