What is the difference between Direct Payments and Self-Directed Support?

A Direct Payment is money given to a person who needs social care support so that they can buy the help they need.  Direct payments cannot be used to buy services from the Care Trust Plus.

Self-Directed Support is a new way of giving people control over the help they require for their health and social care needs.  Self-directed support offers a person with social care needs a Personal Budget, which is an allocation of money they can use to make informed decisions about how to meet their care needs.  The Personal Budget can include a direct payment but it can also include greater control over help given by the Care Trust Plus, for example in a day service. 

Will everyone who needs social care have to have Self-Directed Support?

From April 2011, everyone who is eligible for publicly funded adult social care will be offered a Personal Budget.   How much control an individual wishes to have over their Personal Budget, will vary according to their ability and willingness to manage the budget.

Between April 2009 and April 2011, the North East Lincolnshire Care Trust Plus will be trying its approach to Self-Directed Support with a number of people so that it can then be offered to everyone who is to get publicly funded social care.

What can people use their Personal Budget for?

The Personal Budget can be used for anything provided that:

-       It is within the law – for example, anyone employed to provide care and support using the budget must be treated as an employee

-       It is not used for gambling – in other words, the budget cannot be invested in the national lottery or bet on a horse

-       the Care Trust has agreed that the use is appropriate and is likely to meet the outcomes  set out in the support plan

How do “specialist” services, such as occupational therapy, psychology, speech & language therapy, and physiotherapy fit with Self-Directed Support?

These services are available to anyone who needs them and are not paid for from a Personal Budget.   That means that a person who does not have a Personal Budget will still get help from these services if they need it.  Someone who has been allocated a Personal Budget who needs help from one or more of these services, will be assisted to arrange this help when they are putting together their support plan.  The support plan sets out how they want to use their Personal Budget to change their life but it can also include help that they don’t pay for.

What help will people get with Self-Directed Support?

People will get the help they need to have control over their social care and support.  They can choose to have help from family or friends, if those people are able and willing to give that help, or they can gain help from organisations such as the Care Trust Plus or Penderels Trust. 

People who choose to manage their help themselves will also be able to get help with this.  The Care Trust Plus has the responsibility of approving support plans and will advise people on the precautions they need to take in buying care and support, such as getting police checks for staff they employ.  Help with employment matters is also available from Penderels Trust, which already supports people using direct payments to have personal assistants.

Do people employing staff with their Personal Budgets have to get police checks and “protection of vulnerable adults” checks for them even if they know these people well?

The Care Trust Plus always recommends that people employing staff for their social care needs have police and “protection of vulnerable adults” checks.  The person needing care will make the final decision.

Is Self-Directed Support really just a way to save money in providing social care?

Self-Directed Support is not necessarily cheaper, but it can be more creative and make better use of the money available.  It will give people better value for their money and will meet people’s specific social care and support needs according to their personal needs and preferences.

What if someone cannot open a bank account for their Personal Budget?

Under the Disability Discrimination Act, it is illegal for a bank to refuse to open an account for a person who has a disability.  The person must however understand what their account is to be used for and if unable to do this, a representative or a trust can open the account for them, or they will be able to have a joint account.

Will Self-Directed Support affect a person’s benefits or the amount of tax they have to pay?

A Personal Budget does not affect benefits, nor is it taxable.  If, however, a support plan involves paying someone else to provide care or support, that person’s benefits and tax liability might be affected.  This can happen even if the person formerly gave the care or support without being paid.

Do people who get Self-Directed Support have to pay a charge?

Self-Directed Support is another way of giving people the social care that they need and is subject to the same charging regimes as other social services.  The Care Trust’s charging regime for “non-residential” care – that is, care that is not provided in a registered care home – is being reviewed because it does not work well with the more flexible ways that people now get help with their social care.  Any changes that are proposed will have to be consulted on before they can be implemented.

If a person is working, does this affect Self-Directed Support and their Personal Budget?

The amount of the Personal Budget is not affected by money earned from working.  Income from work is also not counted when calculating how much a person has to contribute to the cost of their support.