Direct Payments for Care

Social Work Services’ responsibilities

It is the responsibility of Social Work Services to:

• protect people who are at risk from abuse, neglect and self-harm
• assess and arrange services for people in their own homes, at day activities, in family care and residential units; or assess and arrange for people to receive a direct payment to buy their own services
• with consent, contact housing, health and other services where assessment has shown assistance is needed
• promote the development of a range of services which meet the needs of individuals and carers
• provide services in a way which helps people to be as independent as possible

Social Work Services in Glasgow are provided through different organisations including the City Council, Community Health and Care Partnerships, voluntary organisations, private agencies and self-help or carers groups. Your local social work office will be able to tell you more about these services.

Our commitment to you

For fuller information on how to comment or complain see Your Views

What is a direct payment for care?

A direct payment for care is money paid by the local authority directly to a person whom it has assessed as needing care services. The local authority makes the payment instead of arranging services.

You can use the payment to purchase the relevant services. In practice, recipients often employ their own Personal Assistants. Also, support or services can be purchased through agencies. The key benefit is that direct payments increase the amount of choice, control and flexibility disabled people have over the way they live their lives.

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Who can get a direct payment for care?

Direct payments are available to people who have been assessed as needing care services, including:

• disabled adults to purchase community care services 
• people over 65 eligible for community care services due to age or infirmity
• disabled people aged 16 and 17 years to purchase children’s services
• disabled parents to purchase childcare services
• people with parental responsibility for a disabled child to purchase services their child has been assessed as needing
• disabled people (including children) to purchase housing support services

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What are your rights?

It is your right to use direct payments instead of community care services. This right excludes long-term residential care, but includes:

• short breaks / respite care
• home or personal care
• day activities
• assistance to leave residential care
• housing support

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What will be my role and responsibilities when I receive direct payments?

You will be responsible for ensuring that the money is spent properly on the necessary services to meet your assessed needs and that the appropriate safeguards are in place.

You will be offered support and guidance to help you do this.

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What support will I get?

From my care manager

From the support organisation

From 1^st October 2003 Social Work Services has commissioned the Glasgow Centre for Inclusive Living (GCIL) to provide support to people receiving direct payments. GCIL is a user-led organisation with experience of helping disabled people manage their own independent living packages.

GCIL will be able to:

Provide information:

• to assist you in determining if a direct payment is the best option for you
  to enable you to choose which services
• to buy or help you recruit your own workers

Provide training, information, and advice:

• to enable you to manage your workers and/or monitor the services you purchase from an agency
• to help you acquire the knowledge, skills and confidence you need to make the most of your direct payment and to become a good employer

Provide information, advice and support:

• with setting up bank accounts and payroll services to enable you to pay your workers
• to complete direct payments paperwork required for monitoring purposes
• to put in place arrangements to meet your support needs in an emergency situation e.g. your worker is unable to attend due to illness

GCIL can also work with people who may be supporting you to manage your direct payment.

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How to contact Social Work Services

Assessments are usually arranged through your local social work office. For information on how to contact your local social work office see How to Access Services

Emergency Situations

If you have an emergency:

• within office hours, we will give you an urgent appointment
• outwith office hours, phone our Standby Service on: 0800 811 505

For more information see Standby/Out of hours service

Apart from initial information and advice it is usually necessary to be assessed for a service. There is no charge for assessment but for some services, for example, home care, there may be a charge but this normally depends on your income.

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Other Information

We have a number of other factsheets and leaflets on topics we are often asked about. Information is being developed all the time. The receptionist at your local social work office will tell you what information is available. If you prefer you can phone the Social Work Services Communications Unit on: 0141 287 8897.

There are a number of other organisations who can provide information and advice on direct payments. The main ones are:

Glasgow Centre for Inclusive Living (GCIL)
117 / 127 Brook Street
Glasgow
G40 3AP
Phone: 0141 550 4455

Web site: www.gcil.org.uk

GCVS
Glasgow Council for the Voluntary Sector
11 Queen’s Crescent
Glasgow
G4 9AS
Phone: 0141 332 2444

Information for carers is available from the Carers Information and Support line on 0141 353 6504

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