Direct payments scheme

What are direct payments?
Direct payments offer social services clients more control and choice over the services they receive and the people who provide them.

Receiving a direct payment means, for example, instead of social services deciding who your carer or care agency will be, will we pay you the equivalent amount so you can employ and manage your own care staff directly.

Who is eligible for direct payments?
You can receive a direct payment if you:

have a physical disability and are aged over 16 years
are aged 65 or over
have a mental health need
have a learning disability
are living with HIV/AIDS
have parental responsibility for a child with a disability; or
are a carer

What services can be purchased with direct payments?

personal care such as help with bathing and dressing
sleep-over support
domestic care like shopping or housework
respite care and short breaks
day services
small items of equipment such as commodes and bath aides
certain after-care services depending on your needs
sitting services
short stays in care homes for the client, but this cannot exceed more than four weeks in any twelve month period

What services cannot be bought using direct payments?

long-term residential care
NHS or health care
services provided under 'supporting people' (tenancy support services)

How can I receive a direct payment?
To join the direct payments scheme you must:

be assessed by Ealing Council social services as being eligible for assistance; and
be willing and able to manage the payment of your care - either alone or with assistance from a friend or family member

Your care manager or social worker will tell you more about the scheme at your assessment or alternately you can contact Ealing Direct to find out more about the scheme.

What is Ealing Direct?
Ealing Direct is the council’s dedicated direct payments service with professionally trained staff to help you manage and get the most out of your direct payments. The team provide advice, training and support on all issues associated with your direct payments.

What support is available?
We offer all new direct payment users a six-week training course including:

advertising and interviewing potential employees
details of becoming an employer
health and safety
dealing with disputes
financial issues such as employer tax and national insurance; and
access to a payroll service

In addition to our six-week training programme we also provide:

help with opening up a bank account for your payment; and
follow-up support including help with completing the direct payments monitoring forms

How to apply for direct payments
If you already receive a service from social services, contact your care manager or social worker. If not, you should telephone the social services customer contact centre on (020) 8825 8000 to arrange an assessment. During this assessment we will ask you for more information about yourself, including about your needs and circumstances. With your permission, a care manager or social worker may also need to contact people who know you well, such as your doctor. On the basis of this assessment, the care manager will decide with you what services would best meet your needs.

Once you have been accepted as an Ealing Direct client
Your care manager or social worker will normally refer you directly to Ealing Direct. Ealing Direct will then contact you to arrange a meeting to plan your support needs. In the meantime if you wish to find out more about the scheme, please contact:

Ealing Direct
44 South Ealing Road, Ealing W5 4QA
Tel: (020) 8840 2356
Typetalk: (020) 8840 3264

Leaflets
A leaflet about direct payments is available in pdf format.