Direct Payments

Understanding direct payments
Having ‘direct payments’ to arrange your own care support is an option available if you’ve been assessed as being eligible for care services support by your local authority (or Health and Social Care Trust in Northern Ireland).

If you, or the person you are looking after, have been assessed as needing social services support, you may be offered a direct payment instead of receiving the support arranged by the local council or Trust. Sometimes, they may suggest the option of a combination (referred to as a ‘mixed package’). Below, we explain direct payments in more detail and how they work.

What are direct payments?

For carers Generally, direct payments for carers are a one-off payment given to support the carer to have some time to look after their own wellbeing. For example, the payment could be used to go to the gym, or pay for driving lessons or a break away. These are sometimes called a carer direct payment or carer budget payment. They do not count as income and therefore would not affect any other benefits you might be receiving.

For the person receiving care

Direct payments for the person being looked after are more commonly ongoing payments used to employ a care worker or personal assistant to help with their day-to-day needs or for a period of respite care. These payments are usually an alternative to having those services provided directly by the council or Trust.