Direct Payments

• Direct Payments is the name given to the procedure for a Local Authority Social Services department, giving money to individual clients who have been assessed as needing care at home, as an alternative to care organised by the Local Authority itself.

• Clients can use their Direct Payments to choose for themselves, from whom they wish to receive their care and support at home.

• Direct Payments has been around for many years, but HomeCareDirect has now left the client with the benefits of Direct Payments, and has taken away almost all the previous problems associated with employment and training issues.

• Organises training of personal carer/supporters to specifically meet the clients assessed care.

• Direct Payments puts people in charge of their own care at home, and now HomeCareDirect makes it practically very possible and easy to be in charge.

• Most Local Authorities now have a Direct Payments officer who will be happy to provide more information, and all Local Authorities now have Government set targets for the number of people who should be on Direct Payments within their area. There is therefore set to be a very significant increase in the number of people on Direct Payments in all areas.

• All social workers, following a 'Client Care Needs Assessment', should now offer the option for every client to take up Direct Payments.

• With HomeCareDirect the social worker can now be sure of the increased safety and security of clients on Direct Payments in their own home.

• There is much information on Direct Payments on government websites. One such website is www.dh.gov.uk