Direct payment accounting, help please

[Graciefer]

Hi there,

I am receiving direct payments for DS1 for the first time and we are almost ready to start, contracts have been signed etc.

Now I have got my head around all the stuff that social services need us to do (I think), but I would also like to set up a way of keeping track myself.

I was hoping to use microsoft money to do this and I am trying to work out the best way to separate and track what I actually have for wages and what I have to save for on-costs (holiday pay/insurance/expenses/etc).

Not sure if that makes sense and I don't think it helps matters that I have only been awarded for the 6 weeks holidays at the moment, rather than regular monthly payments.

However I am imagining that if I just rely on the end balance on the bank statements, that doesn't really give me a clear picture of what monies I can actually spend for extra hours etc.

Not sure if I am being very clear here, but has anyone got any hints or tips on how they do this, as I don't want to over complicate things, but I do want to be able to tell quite easily, what I have to spend on PA's and what needs to be set aside.

we used to get 8 hours per month for each of our three, which is the lowest amount the give in our area.
when my DH was DX with cancer i pushed for the hours to be increased and we then got 28 hours per child per month, we have gone over the hours a few times but things are more setlled now, Dh died in june i am expecting they may try and drop the kids hours i hope not. i use hours to get the kids out and i have one DP worker who comes and does cleaning ironing tidying ect. you can be creative in what you use the hours for.

OJ: I am sorry for your loss. I hope they don't change your hours. I was hoping for more hours to use half for a cleaner. But doesn't look like that will be possible now. Should you ask for more hours now before it has even started or should I wait for afew months and say we need more.

always ask for more than you want/need cos they will try and get away with giving you less, it helps if you have a plan DS goes to a swimming club each week with his DP worker so thats 3 hours a week i think i worked it out that 8 hours per months equals one day each week of school holidays

When they did the assessment I said 2 hours a day and one full day on the weekend per month. And I only got 1/2 the hours during the week. I have asked if I can have 10 hours per week instead of the 6 hours given and now I will wait and see what happens.