Direct Payments

What is a direct payment?

A Direct Payment is money given to you by Social Services instead of providing a ‘care’ service. You then buy the service yourself in a way that best suits you.

This could be to

• Employ your own support worker or personal assistant directly or through a care agency.
• Buy items of equipment.
• Pay for a holiday or break that you want instead of having a ‘respite’ service.
• Attend a gardening project.
• And more…

It means you can choose how best to meet your needs.

Can I get a Direct Payment?

Yes - if you:

• Get support from Community Services (used to be called Social Services)
• Are over 16.
• Are ‘willing and able’ to manage—you can have as much help to manage as you need.

This means that the following people can get a direct payment:

• Disabled people.
• People with learning disabilities.
• Older people.
• Users of mental health services.
• Parents of disabled children.
• Carers.
• 16 and 17 year old young disabled people.

Only a very few people who get help from Community Services are currently not allowed to have a direct payment.

Who are the Direct Payments team?

The Direct Payments Support Service at HAFAD can give you all the information you need to help you to get started. We aim to take the mystery out of direct payments and will tailor our help to suit you.

We can also help you to:

• Find people to work with you.
• Manage the money and complete monitoring for the council.
• Learn about “being the boss” and go on other training courses.
• Meet other people using direct payments.
• Apply for other funding to get you more help.

How to access the service

They take open referrals which means you can contact them directly. The team will always try to see you as soon as they can, but sometimes due to a high demand this may not be possible. If this is the case you will be placed on a waiting list. 

Contact Direct Payments on 020 7471 8510