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Direct Payments Support Service
Living independently is about having choice and control over your life, not about having to do everything for yourself. Direct Payments are a way of providing Disabled people with that choice and control, and WECIL’s Direct Payments Support Service is here to provide the advice and support to set up and manage your Direct Payment which will help you live a lifestyle of your choice.
WECIL was involved in setting up the very first direct payments in the area previously known as Avon. Since then we have built on our experience to provide a comprehensive Direct Payments Support Service to many hundreds of Disabled people, and are now proud to offer this support across three Local Authority areas of Bristol, South Gloucestershire (Children) and Swindon (Children).
Please click on the below links to find out more:What are direct payments?
Can I get a direct payment?
How to get a direct payment
How can WECIL’s Direct Payments Support Service help?
What difference have direct payments and our support service made to the lives of Disabled people?
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What are Direct Payments?Direct payments give Disabled people, parents of Disabled children, older people and carers more flexibility in how their services are provided, and allow people to have their needs met in a way that suits them. It’s about having the CHOICE of deciding what support is right for you, and the CONTROL to provide this support when, where and how you want it.
Direct Payments are:- Cash payments made to individuals who have been assessed as needing services by their local authority (or Council).
- An alternative to getting a direct service from the Council.
- Able to be used for anything that the local authority agrees meets your assessed needs.
- Able to cover essential running costs (such as any advertising or insurance costs, within reason).
- Paid into a separate bank account, so it’s kept totally separate from your own money (unless it’s a one-off payment).
Direct Payments do not:
- Affect any other benefits you may be getting.
- Allow you to pay people cash-in-hand, but we can give you full support with how to employ people and you can use a payroll service to do all the salary calculations for you, so don’t let that put you off!
- Mean you’re on your own. WECIL will provide you with a full support service, but if you decide that direct payments are not for you then you can go back to getting a direct service from the Council. It’s your choice.
Examples of how people use Direct Payments include:
- Employing someone to be a personal assistant or support worker, to assist with needs such as washing, dressing or meal preparation, or support to get out and about in your local community.
- Paying an agency (of your choice) to send a support worker or personal assistant at the times you need them.
- Buying day services (or their equivalent).
- Paying for short breaks (formerly called respite care).
- Buying equipment (if assessed).
Can I get a Direct Payment?Direct payments are available to everybody who is entitled to a community care service. This includes:
- All Disabled people (including people with learning difficulties or people with mental health or emotional support needs).
- Parents (or guardians) of Disabled children and young people.
- Older people over 65.
- Young Carers and Carers over 16.
A person must be able to consent to have a Direct Payment and be able to manage one, although you can have assistance to manage your Direct Payments on a day-to-day basis.
How to get a Direct Payment
The first step to getting a direct payment is to have a community care assessment with Social Services. You will need to request this.
Which local authority areas do we work in?
If you have already had an assessment and are receiving services direct from the Council, you can contact the Council to say you are interested in changing this to a direct payment.
If you need support with the community care assessment, some Councils provide an Advocacy service; in Bristol this is also provided by WECIL’s Care Management Advocacy Service.
After the assessment, the Council will tell you whether you are eligible to receive support, based on your assessed level of need. The Council is legally required to offer you a direct payment as an option for meeting this need. It’s your choice.If you need to have a Community Care Assessment, please contact Social Services for your area:
Bristol Adult Community Care
Adult Care Duty Desk: 0117 9036684 or adult.care@bristol.gov.ukBristol Children and Young People’s Services
Child Care Duty Desk: 0117 9036774South Gloucestershire (children services)
South Gloucestershire Children & Young People Information Desk: 01454 868008Swindon (children services)
Swindon Customer Services: 01793 463000Contact:mail@beingtheboss.co.uk
What happens next?If you choose to receive a direct payment, the Council will usually make a referral to our Direct Payments Support Service. We can then provide you with support needed to set up and manage your direct payment.
How can WECIL’s Direct Payments Support Service help?We know that the idea of arranging your own services can seem daunting, as well as exciting. Our Support Service has helped many hundreds of people just like you. Our Team of Independant Living Advisors.
- Visit people at home
- Provide support to set up the Direct Payment
- Advise how to employ staff or use agencies
- Provide on going support through a telephone support line (or email)
New Direct Payments
We provide support with:
- Understanding choice and control when using a Direct Payment
- Managing the budget
Employing Staff
- Advice on how to find staff:
- Advertising
- Shortlisting and interviewing
- Reference and Criminal Record Bureau (CRB) checks
- Advice on how to employ staff
- Contracts and job descriptions
- Insurance cover
- Staff supervision and training
- Paying Staff
- Setting an affordable pay rate
- Registering with the Inland Revenue
- Keeping records
Self Employed Staff
- Checking their self employed status
- Issuing a Service Contract
Using Agencies Including Day Centres
Advice on:
- What to look for in an agency (we provide a list of agencies)
- Getting a contract with the agency
- Staying within your budget
On Going Support
Once the Direct Payment is set up, we continue to offer support with:
- How to control spending to stay within budget
- Building up a contingency so there is a reserve in case of need
- Managing the paperwork
- An annual reveiw
Support is provided via email or our telephone support line which is available Monday to Friday from 1 - 4 pm.
To contact this service
Telephone: 0117 377 2734
Email: dpsupport@wecil.co.uk
What difference have Direct Payments and our Support Service made to the lives of Disabled people?
Below are quotes from Disabled people, parents of Disabled children, Older people and Carers who we have supported to set up and manage their Direct Payments scheme.
The quotes below are in response to the question “What in particular have you found most positive about WECIL’s Direct Payments Support Service?”:
- Friendly and professional service, so easy to understand with this help (Disabled person in Bristol)
- This helps me to be more independent (Disabled person in Bristol) Allowing me a break from caring for my disabled child’s needs (Parent of Disabled child in South Gloucestershire)
- It enables me to carry on living at home near family and friends (Disabled person in Bristol)
- Support in completing the paperwork (Disabled person in Newport)
- It has empowered me and increased my confidence to know it is all working so well. I think I would find it very difficult, intimidating and confidence sapping to organise everything concerning employing Personal Assistants myself (Disabled person in Bristol)
- Positive, enthusiastic and explained things clearly, simply and effectively (Parent of Disabled child in Swindon)
- The staff are friendly, efficient and very professional in all matters (Disabled person in Bristol)
- It is wonderful. Without this due to my illness and disability I just could not cope (Disabled person in Bristol)
- The freedom to choose – I think this is the way forward because the client can have the carers that they want (Disabled person in Caerphilly)
- I find that it really has worked for me. I am more independent. The DPSS Advisor has been brilliant with me (Disabled person in Monmouthshire).
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