Nominated and authorised person guidance

Direct payments: someone managing it for you

Sometimes, another person can help manage your direct payment.

This depends on whether you can make this decision yourself.

If you can make your own decisions

You can choose someone you trust to manage your direct payment for you.

This is called a nominated person.

They must:

• Agree to do this
  
• Use the money in the way agreed in your support plan
• Manage the money properly
  

We will check that:

• You are happy with this arrangement
  
• The person can manage the money
  
• Using a direct payment is the right option for you
   

If you cannot make this decision

If you are not able to decide about a direct payment, someone else can manage it for you.

This is called an authorised person.

They must:

• Act in your best interests
  
• Make decisions that are right for you
  
• Use the money in line with your support plan
  

If someone has legal responsibility for you (like a Power of Attorney), they must be involved.

What we will do

We will:

• Make sure the arrangement is safe and appropriate
  
• Check that the money is being used properly
  
• Offer advice and support
  

What the person managing the payment must do

They must:

• Only use the money to meet your agreed needs
  
• Keep records
• Follow our guidance on using direct payments
  

If something isn’t working

Contact us if:

• You are unhappy with the arrangement
  
• The money is not being used properly
• You want to change who manages your payment