Introduction
Direct Payments are one way you can receive your Personal Budget or Core Offer funding. Direct Payments gives you more choice and control over the support you receive.
Instead of the council arranging care services for you, Direct Payments allow you to use the agreed budget to arrange your own support in a flexible way. This could include hiring a personal assistant, paying for activities, or choosing other support that meets your assessed needs and helps you achieve your goals.
Using Direct Payments
Direct Payments are designed to promote independence, wellbeing and choice. Direct Payments must be used to meet the outcomes agreed within the individual’s Care & Support Plan, or Education, Health and Care Plan (EHCP). These are intended to enable children, young people, adults and carers to access support in a flexible, personalised and outcome‑focused.
If after an assessment, it’s agreed that you need some extra support, a plan will be agreed between you and the social care team
This will set out the services that can best support you and how much you should spend on them. Following are some of the examples where Direct Payment can be allowed to be used:
- Employing a Personal Assistant (PA) or purchasing support from an approved agency/provider to help with household tasks or your care
- Short breaks or play / youth / respite activities where these are included in the support plan
- Support with developing independent living skills, communication, personal care, or home‑based support
- Helping you to stay in touch with friends and family or build new social networks
- Attendance at day provision or equivalent structured opportunities appropriate to the age and needs of the citizen
- Buying support to give your unpaid or family carer a break from their caring role
Direct Payment exclusions
Some of the examples where Direct Payments cannot be used are listed below:
- Anything which is not detailed in the care and support plan or Education, Health and Social Care Plan.
- Any Cash Purchases including Cash Payments to Carer/Agency
- To employ a spouse, partner or other close relative who is living at your address, unless formal approval is obtained from the local authority.
- To pay the person who is responsible for managing the Direct Payments account.
- Any personal contributions resulting from a financial assessment, such as the person's financial contribution towards their care and support, telecare charges, or personal contribution for any short term/permanent care in a residential/nursing home.
- To fund personal daily living costs, debt repayment, investments, gambling or for any illegal purpose.
- Long term residential/nursing care.
- For the purchase of toiletries, pads, cosmetics, creams or groceries etc even if it is required for personal care
- To pay for funerals or any other unauthorised costs.
- Tuition for educational/academic purposes including online learning
- Health related therapies (i.e. Physiotherapy etc.)
- Property adaptations
- Toys or computer equipment (unless approved by the London Borough of Harrow and made part of the support plan)
- For anything which has not been agreed or recorded under the support plan.
For the full list, please review the Direct Payment Policy or ask direct payment team for clarity