Direct Payments

[Twiglet65]

I had been caring for Mum for 10yrs before I'd even heard of Direct Payments for respite and sit in services. Last year was my first "renewal" so I contacted my local authority 1month before the anniversary of these payments. That first renewal was a nightmare. Instead of each payment having to last 12months, one had to stretch to 14months, the other 15months. This year I've begun my renewal campaign earlier but am still hitting the same issue. 38days in and I still cannot get a Social Worker allocated! Has anyone else had these issues?

[19581979]

Hi

Do they do carer assessments on line? If they do you could always do your assessment a few days ahead then keep phoning them saying you completed your assessment.

The other thing you could do is a month before your payments are due to run out write to them eating that your payments have nearly run out and you need the direct payments renewing. Find out who the carers lead officer is for your local social services and let them know the problems you are having.

Take care

Gill x

[Hidden]

I think social servives are trying to rip carers off a years payments budgets by late payments creative accounting.

I know the don't like people having brokers so try the best to put you off.

Carers act 2014 promised so much BUT come to nout as most social workers are stuck in there ways

[Hidden]

Hi Twiglet65,

I'm sorry I don't have any practical experience of this, but I hope you'll find some other members of the group who can help you in a practical way, and I see that you've already had some answers. I think it's important to know that even when you are having trouble with the financial side of caring, it's reassuring to know there are others struggling with the same thing.

What's for sure is that it never gets any easier to make claims or to be allocated any kind of funding and that it's easy for government departments to ignore carers as a group, because much of what they do is done from love and duty, often to close family members.

It's isolating, so unlike other groups we can't take much action together to change things.

But that's why this group of people is so important. We can listen to each other and offer practical advice, and someone here is almost sure to have a solutions or suggestions that will help with almost any kind of care problem.

So hopefully you will get some help and answers, and do, please, come back at some point and let us know how you are getting on with your struggle.