DIRECT PAYMENTS

[mandycross]

I applied for direct payments for my son after i was diagnoised with ms and my health started to suffer , and have been awarded 9 hours a month. My son has autism, serve behavioural problems, is non verbal, sleep apnea and epilepsy and a sleep disorder which he was on medication for but has been took off it now that he has epilepsy, he only sleeps between 3 and 5 hours a night and rarely goes to bed before 3 am. I asked the social worker for payments so i can get care for him to do some hobbies as everywhere he goes he gets kicked out as they say he need to much attention and someone to help me go shopping with him as he needs two adults at all time with him, i also asked for a night carer once a week so i can get some rest and have only been offered this. I have been told that this is the maxium and its take it or leave it. With 2 hours a week it is not enough for him to any leasure activities and bearly enough to go to the shop. does anyone else get anymore hours than this

[vjg13]

It is very variable according to where you live and which social services you are dealing with. It maybe the maximum they are giving at the moment due to the budget. My daughter has global developmental delay but no health issues and we now get 5 hours a week (recently increased from 3). She is 10. You could ask for a carer's assessment if you have not had it and also give details of help you need eg help each morning with getting him ready, bedtime etc. If you get any extra then you can spend it on the things you want. I was advised to take whatever they gave me and then try and build on it, ask for a new assessment at the start of the financial year.