How direct payments work, and what they let you control

If a local authority decides someone is eligible for care and support, there is often a choice in how that support is arranged. One option is a direct payment, which gives the person more control over their own care.

Personal budget and direct payment

After a Care Act assessment, the council works out a personal budget, which is the amount it calculates is needed to meet a person’s eligible needs. A direct payment is one way of receiving that money. Instead of the council arranging services, the person, or someone acting for them, receives the funding and arranges the support themselves, within an agreed care and support plan.

What it lets you do

The appeal of a direct payment is flexibility. It can let someone choose who supports them, when and how, and build a routine that fits their life. Some people use a direct payment to employ their own personal assistant, others to buy support from a provider, and many use a mix.

With that flexibility comes some responsibility, such as keeping records of how the money is spent and, if employing someone, meeting the duties of an employer. Councils and local support organisations can help with the practical side, and the arrangement is always built around the agreed plan.

Worth asking about

Direct payments are not the right fit for everyone, but many people do not realise the option exists. If you have had an assessment, it is worth asking your council whether a direct payment could work for you.

If you would like to understand how support from us could fit alongside a direct payment, we are happy to explain how it works.