direct payments
On this page we have put together information which will help you to understand more about direct payments and where to go for more information.
"Direct payments allow you to arrange care and services yourself instead of receiving them directly from your local council. Direct payments can be made to a disabled young person aged 16 years and over or their parent/carer who has parental responsibility"
Anita Hewson, Development Manager Personalised Budgets and Direct Payments, Cambridgeshire County Council
What is a direct payment?
A direct payment is a cash sum of money paid to you on behalf of your disabled child to purchase support and short breaks (respite). In Cambrideshire the money is provided by Cambridgeshire County Council.
To receive direct payments you will need to have an assessment from Social Care and get agreement that your child meets the eligibility criteria.
Once it has been agreed that you are entitled to direct payments you will have a choice in how you spend the money you have been allocated. These things might include:
- short breaks
- attending a nursery with specialist support for you child
- buying equipment
- personal care
You can download the legal guide to direct payments here.
Frequently asked questions about Direct Payments
In February 2011 Cambridgeshire County Council's Direct Payments team held a question and answers session for parents across the county. These are some of the questions parents asked:
Who Decides what I can spend the Direct Payment On?
The decision what to spend the direct payment on is decided by you as the parent/carer, your child and the social care practitioner. Your child will have either a Care Plan or a Young Person’s Plan which are documents the government sets for CPYS to record information on. The plan will state what you have agreed to spend the money on.
Will Direct Payments affect my benefits?
No – direct payments are not extra money to spend as you want on things like food; they are in place of help from social care services.They don’t affect the benefits you get as they are not income. However, if you employ someone who is claiming benefits this may affect their benefits, so check.
You can also download an easy read guide which explains more about direct payments.
