Direct Payments and flexibility during Covid 19

[Charlie2750]

Currently if you have Direct Payments(DP) and you are not getting care you will continue to get DP but you can be flexible in how you use this provided it is for the benefit of the recipient.You may use it to pay for a Personal Assistant or a family carer or for materials needed for craft or other items to benefit the recipient.You can use it for days out with a carer.For full details go to Gov.org and feed in DP. I read this because I am paying through DP for my sons day care which apart from 2 days a week he is not getting. We also pay a small amount into the DP account because of the financial assessment.The important thing to remember is you should try to get in touch with DP people but if not then provided you can keep receipts etc and also to assess the person you are employing is "safe" and I am sure you know what that means.Also remember it might be a good idea to communicate what you are thinking of doing to make sure that if and when this awful pandemic ends and we get back to normal you will not lose your normal service.I offer this advice/information in good faith. Good luck.

[Sarah_Mencap]

thanks for sharing this

[Henriet]

Thank you for this, how do I assess whether a carer is safe? Is there a leaflet?

[Charlie2750 Community friend in reply to Henriet]

Hello Henriet Thank you for your question.

If you have a carer in mind and if you don't know them personally then you would need to do every thing an employer would do.Check references and ask for a Disclosure and Barring Service certificate.(DBS) The information is on Gov website or Mencap can advise but this means checking to see if they have a criminal record and are safe to work with vulnerable adults.As regards other safety measures such as making sure they don't have any active infection of Covid 19 possibly get them to take a test.There is more information available elsewhere.

"Employing staff for the first time" is the title of a page on GOV.UK website which will give more information if you employ a carer direct.I could not find a leaflet but someone might come along after me and explain.Better still is to use a care agency because they will have done all the checks, however make sure you use a reliable and well known agency.I didnt say it was easy but the issues around Covid19 virus and social and health care could take a long time to resolve. I have a friend who has a son who needs personal care when he attends day care because of incontinence and the carers are refusing to accept him back probably because they cant get too close and personal!!I think that is a problem she wants to sort out but she is happy with her son at home(for now).

I hope this information helps you if you are thinking of using DP to employ alternative arrangements and good luck.