A direct payment is one of the Self Directed Support Options that you can choose to access your Individual Budget. This is the amount that has been assessed as being required to pay for your care and support needs.
Your Individual Budget, or part of it, can be paid directly to you as Option1 - Direct Payment - to enable you to purchase the care and support as agreed with your Care Manager in your Support Plan.
A direct payment means that your individual budget will be given to you to arrange and pay for your care and support, instead of the council arranging the service for you.
Having a direct payment means you can:-
Most people who have had a Social Work Services care needs assessment and are eligible for care and support can have a direct payment.
There are a few restrictions on having a direct payment, for example, if a person is subject to a court order for a drug or alcohol treatment programme or similar scheme. Also, if a person lacks capacity they must have an authorised person (for example Power of Attorney / Guardianship) to manage the direct payment on their behalf.
Yes, you can get help to manage your direct payment from our support agency - Glasgow Centre for Inclusive Living (GCIL).
They can help you to:
Yes, a financial assessment [241kb] will determine how much contribution you may have to pay towards your care and support. Your Care Manager will do this with you.
Your direct payment will be paid every 4 weeks, (in advance) minus any contribution you have to make. Payments will be automatically uploaded to your Prepaid card, which you can then operate like a normal bank debit card.
You can use a direct payment to pay for your care and support needs, as long as what you buy meets the outcomes that have been agreed in your Support Plan, and are based on your assessment.
These might include:
Yes, there are some things that are not allowed, for example:
Yes, you will need to maintain records and receipts for the money that you have spent. We will carry out regular audits of your prepaid card account to ensure that the direct payment is being managed in accordance with the Financial Procedures [406kb] and is meeting your agreed outcomes.
No, the money can only be spent as agreed in your Support Plan. If you do not spend all of the money, this will be recovered by the council.