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Original poster

Direct Payments

22 replies

lou33 · 08/09/2004 09:13

Can someone explain these to me please? I have read a bit about them, but still not sure . Would direct payments affect funding on ds2's statement, or is it as well as? It's all so confusing!

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dottee · 08/09/2004 09:22

Lou, I'm presently been assessed for dps. I take it ds statement is educational. If so, dps would not affect it. They are mostly for providing an alternative for respite care. I am looking to get dps to be able to employ someone to help me with dd during the holidays e.g. helping me lift her up when she's having a paddy.

My SW indicated that the general allowance in our area is 4 hours per 2 weeks, which is the same we would get if we were applying for dd to go to respite.

Davros is the whizz kid for info on dps.

They are worth looking into.

Davros is the whizz kid on dps!! She's helping me with my application.

dottee · 08/09/2004 09:23

Sorry with mix-up message - my puter went mad!

Original poster
lou33 · 08/09/2004 11:54

Thanks, will keep bumping this then.

Errrr, what respite care btw?!

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fio2 · 08/09/2004 12:00

respite care is when the authority's look after your disbaled/ill child so you can have a break

they dont like to tell you about it and most local authorities dont do it, or only fund a certain amount of spaces

with direct payments you can employ someone to come and be a carer say for the week or whatever through an agency, which must be easier as most families 'cant' leave their children

My mums friend has always paid for respite care (her daughter has severe retts and is brain damaged) and going on holiday makes it an impossibility without respite and they need the break (she is 26 now)

fio2 · 08/09/2004 12:00

my gran used to get it for my grandad though, no questions asked

heartinthecountry · 08/09/2004 14:02

AFAIK most local authorities are now moving over to direct payments to provide carers with time off rather than traditional respite care i.e when the person being cared for goes into a home or to another carer for a period. As Fio2 says a lot of authorities don't have the facilities any more to provide this kind of respite. In any case I think the direct payments system is more flexible and I'm sure most people feel much happier about being in control of who it is who looks after their child and how.

This is what I know about direct payments:
You ask SS to assess your need for respite/extra help. Based on this assessment they allocate a number of hours which they feel you deserve(!). This can be anything from 1 hour a week to quite a bit, i think maybe 8 or more. You will then get a certain amount of money to pay someone to give you this help. I think it is about £10 per hour. I'm not sure exactly how SS give you the money but I think you are able to spend it in a way that suits you best, as long as it is for extra care for your child. So, say you got 8 hours a week, you could employ someone to look after your child one day a week or I think you can save that up and pay someone to look after them for a whole week every now and then. I think you can also use it for babysitting services (this is what I am thinking of).

What I'm not clear on is whether you can employ a relative... I thought not, but amandamum was told she could.

Also, i think, as with most things, you have to go into DLA application mode in order to get it.

HTH

Original poster
lou33 · 08/09/2004 17:24

Fio, I was joking, because we don't get any!

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Original poster
lou33 · 08/09/2004 17:27

Thanks Hitc. I looked at a website thingy and it said no relatives, but if we qualify for it, I was thinking of asking one of the nursery staff if they want to do it. We get 5 hours a week when we are alone because of nursery, dh and I , and some of that is driving there and back, so it would be nice to be able to go out for lunch occasionally. I might be able to teach him to be romantic.

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Easy · 08/09/2004 17:36

Lou, I don't know about DP for children, but I got DP to help me last year after my hip broke. It is awarded at an hourly rate, for x hours per week (assessed by the social worker). You then become an employer, responsible for employing someone to help you. You are responsible for PAYE and NI for that helper (if they earn above the thresholds) which is a nuisance to some people, but there are agencies in most towns that will do it for you. As I know about payroll systems I did it myself.

To be honest the hardest bit is finding someone to pay. But if you already have a friend/childminder or similar who helps you out, you can formalise that arrangement and pay them properly for their help. Pay rate is around £7.80 per hour I think.

HTH, just ask if you need to know more

fio2 · 08/09/2004 17:36

oops! Blush sorry lou!Grin

fio2 · 08/09/2004 17:37

we get none either!, not that that helps you!

Easy · 08/09/2004 17:37

Oh, for an adult one is means-tested, and may have to contribute, up to a max of £35 per week. I guess that would be the same for you re ds.

Original poster
lou33 · 08/09/2004 17:39

Thanks Easy.

Go and answer my post on the sn meet up now Fio. I thank you.

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Original poster
lou33 · 05/10/2004 11:19

Update!

I have just had a hone call from ss having a chat about ds2 and direct payments. A social worker is coming to visit us on the 12th of this month, to assess us, although the lady on the phone says it sounds like we are eligible. She is also sending me lots of info about other things that may interest us, in the post.

My hv is a wonder . I only spoke to her about it last week!

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Davros · 05/10/2004 13:11

Great news Lou! If they assess you for any hours of support then you ARE eligible for DPs, its as simple as that. They have to give you DPs if that's what you want, although as I've said many times before, they may not be aware of it and may not know how it operates as its relatively new for parents of children with SN and/or disability. They've been giving DPs to adults getting hours from Soc Svs for quite some time.

Original poster
lou33 · 05/10/2004 13:49

Thanks Davros

They seem to know what they are talking about so far. I can't see how we wouldn't be eligible, so I am feeling pretty hopeful about it. Once they have assessed us , the sw talks to her manager and they make a decision, then if it's agreed they call in a company called s.i.l.c, who work out how much money we need based on the hours we are allowed, or something like that, to make sure we get the correct payments. She wasn't sure how long it would take though, but I'm hoping we can start it in the new year .

(hoping you don't need to get your red pen out with this post !)

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Original poster
lou33 · 15/11/2004 16:24

have had a financial man round today , to work out how many hours we need etc. He is going to send the costing back to the council, and hopefully approve us for dp's. Am optimistic, as we have been unoffically told that the council are under target for dp's and need to meet their goal.

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Davros · 15/11/2004 16:46

Sounds good Lou. Is someone going to open your post while you are away, just in case something arrives? Any luck with the melatonin?

fio2 · 15/11/2004 16:55

sounds good lou! let us know what happens...

Original poster
lou33 · 15/11/2004 18:53

going to ask my sister to davros

haven't tried the melatonin yet, but planning to this week. Will let you know (possibly even tonight the way the boys are making a racket...)

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Jimjams · 15/11/2004 20:26

We have direct payments SW's coming round tomorrow night- and may well be using melatonin tonight We are living parallel lives Lou

Original poster
lou33 · 15/11/2004 20:51

lol jimjams! Ds2 has nodded off beautifully on i dropper full, ds1 will need the whole bottle I think, by looking at him

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