Personal Payments for Carers

[wendy]

This has been available in Norfolk for a few weeks now, so I was wondering does anyone receive Direct Payments as a Carer?

or
Does anyone receive direct payments as a carer from anywhere in the UK?

Direct Payments

Direct Payments can be made to:

    People aged 16 or over who are in need of community care services
    People with parental responsibility for disabled children.

Carers aged 16 or over may have a Direct Payment for a specific Carer’s service following a Carer’s Assessment even if the person for whom they care declines an assessment or service.

What is the point of Direct Payments?

The aim of a Direct Payment is to give more flexibility in how services are provided. People have greater choice and control over their lives and are able to make their own decisions about how their care is delivered. Following a Community Care

Assessment, or reassessment, you can now choose whether to have services provided directly by Community Services or have Direct Payments.

What am I allowed to spend the money on?

You can use the money to employ a personal assistant or you can use an agency to provide staff for you. Or you can ‘mix and match’ and have some of your support provided by Community Services and take some as a Direct Payment.

You must use the money as agreed in your support plan to meet your social care assessed needs.

What else do I need to know?

You will need to open a separate bank account to have the money paid into and send Norfolk County Council a monthly bank statement from this account. The Direct Payment Support Agency will give you all the help you need to operate Direct Payments.

Direct Payments are not a social security benefit, will not affect any means testing benefits you are entitled to and are not taxable.

What happens if my circumstances change?

Your social worker should review your assessment at least annually. This will provide you with a regular check on how well your arrangements are meeting you needs. If at any time, you feel your circumstances have changed or that costs have increased, you should contact your social worker to request another assessment.

If you wish to apply for this service or ask for more information, contact Community Services by calling 0344 800 8020.
http://www.norfolk.gov.uk/Adult_care/Pe ... /NCC115424

[JaneJ]

I don't get direct payments.

My carers allowance is paid to lee then taken off another benefit so in essence we don't even receive it!

xx

[daisy]

Hubby has Attendance Allowance - nothing else

[annie]

We get direct payments, it is much more flexible we have had it for over 5 years now.

[wendy]

Annie, do you get direct payments for being a carer?

[Alun]

My wife has had Direct Payments for about 20 years now I think, I met her about 8 years ago and she had a PA for cleaning and assisting duties. I took over her full time care whilst we were in London and the OT managed to justify me as her PA. Its not something they advertise but it is buried in the small print, normally a family member can become a paid carer if they don't live in the same house, so most partners are automatically excluded, they see it as a normal duty for the OH to perform. But since I gave up work, like everyone does, I have lost an income, but  I am saving the government a considerable amount of money in providing the care anyway, as its 24/7. They do calculate hours based on what duties a partner should provide, but my view is if they had to provide care every 2 hours through the 24 hour period then she wouldn't be at home.

[Misspears]

tha22222

[maureenho]

[Honey]

Dear Alun,
I am interested in your posting.
please would you explain more about you being accepted as your wifes pa.
are you being paid for this even though you are living in the same household and are a close family member.
many thanks
x

[Alun]

Hi Honey

Yes I'm on a salary, paying Insurance and tax through my wife's Direct Payments budget, at the moment I'm allocated 6 hours a day 7 days a week with holiday pay and sickness, so not just an allowance. When we were in London I read up on all the literature to see if I could take over as her carer as a few times I took over from her existing carer when he was on holiday. I found a section that related to family members becoming carers/PA but it did not include partners as they were living together in the same household, however there are exceptions and these are down to the local authority to decide, its all rather subjective. My wife needs constant attention through the 24 hour period for transfer and toileting as she is unable to walk or transfer from her wheelchair without a hoist and overnight she needs to be repositioned or toileted. Her OT was very good and did an extensive diary on a day to day basis on the support she needed and what it would cost if they had to supply outside carers. This is also balanced against what as a partner I would provide, I was allocated 4 hours initially with no other support this went up to 6 after we moved here 5 years ago. Because I was already a PA in London when we moved the OT wrote a report justifying my position for Norfolk and they did re assess the situation and approved it, raising my hours to 6 a year after. 
I'm not sure there are many in this situation in Norfolk because the OT's were very surprised when we moved over, but they did realise the benefits and savings of such an arrangement.
Hope this helps

x

[Honey]

Thank you very much Alun for your kindness in explaining. I am so very pleased that you are getting this and that you have such a thoughtful ot.
x

[Alun]

No problem Honey, I can only say it was the OT in London that helped, I don't think it would have been the same here and I only say that because in the past 5 years we have had 4 different OT's and none of them actually know the others. Whenever my wife rings up the last OT has disappeared into the ether so there is little or no continuity. Each time we have to explain what the situation is and what her condition involves in care. The usual complaint is lack of resource, which i can appreciate but when you have to phone up to remind them you are due and it doesn't happen for up to 8 months later it does get confusing and I can fully understand why people are missing out, it took 2 years for the first assessment after the initial budget for direct payments was approved.

I'm afraid you do have to poke them a few times and you do have to be armed with knowledge before they arrive as some are quite surprised when you point out the benefits you should be getting.

Its always worth asking, its not charity, like so many others we have paid our dues in taxes and insurance and by supporting our loved ones at home we are making savings

x

[Rosalind]

go90 never heard of direct payments  tha22222.

[Alun]

Nothing new It's been around since 1996.

[Alun]

Just had a thought, is it direct payments or the new PIP that's replacing DLA.
Personal Independence Payment is replacing Disability Living Allowance the roll out is due to complete in 2015 and everyone in receipt of DLA is being re assessed.

[maureenho]

[Alun]

[maureenho]

[Alun]

[wendy]

Alun
your posts have been most helpful, why dont you call in and say hello the next time you visit our forum.,
We would love to hear from you

http://chill4us.com/index.php/topic,46165.0.html

[chenrezig]

Link to factsheet on AgeUK website about PIP's


http://www.ageuk.org.uk/Documents/EN-GB ... ?dtrk=true

[alison bown]

thank you for the reply havin i time where i cant think straight enough lol this year has started bad and gone worse lol