Things to consider with a direct payment

General things to consider

To receive a direct payment:

• You must have a separate direct payment bank account (unless it's for a one-off payment)
• Keep records. Take a look at our 'Money matters' section for more information
• You'll be financially assessed, and if you're required to contribute this will need to be paid into your direct payment account regularly to ensure that you have enough money to pay for the support you receive 
• Direct payments give people the choice to supplement their personal budget to purchase support from a more expensive provider,  ie an agency, a personal assistant or a day centre. This means meeting the cost difference from your own money. The difference would need to be added to the direct payment account to ensure that adequate funds are available
  
• You can also choose to have extra services in addition to the support in place to meet your assessed eligible needs, such as mileage, extra hours, and travel costs. We recommend that you arrange this separately from your direct payment arrangement and pay any additional invoices directly from your personal bank account
• If you choose to purchase additional support or pay a higher rate and your financial circumstances change, meaning that you're no longer able to afford it, Shropshire Council is not responsible for meeting the additional costs, and alternative options would need to be explored. It's important to make sure that any arrangement you make is sustainable

Things to consider if you use the services of a self-employed PA

If you use the services of a self-employed PA you're not an employer. The PA is responsible for their own insurance and tax, and they're not eligible for paid leave, holidays, or other statutory pay.

Find out more about the differences between employed and self-employed PAs from the Skills For Care website. 

Things to consider when using your direct payment for other support