Direct payments client contributions

[Jacksonscafe]

I am using my daughter small tablet to write this. Suddenly followings years of being assessed for direct payments client contribution service user ie ( my daughter was Zero ) for direct payments for 6 hours TOTAL a week,she is suddenly been expected to pay £49 a week which is more than half the cost of £90 a week for 6 hours ( less than 1 full day a week) at a special needs venue. She does NOT work and lives on benefits as do I answer she lives with me her mother I am also unemployed.She is 31 year old epileptic autistic ,young woman has moderate to severe learning disabilities. My MP contacted local authority and has accepted the local authority explanation it seems and sentlinks to resources to cost of living. I do remember a time years ago when venues were run by local authorities and no such demands made of disabled service users. Morally wrong as she only gets a mere day a week respite and does not even get direct payments directly our bank accounts as other service users do. Thousands of £s over the years were sent back to locall authority when 17 hours were her care plan. as had to request usage and was refused etc then that was reduced in 2019 to 6 hours. Which she has to date. I believe the local authority are acting illegally demanding over half the cost to be paid by service user who is on benefits.ny advice please would be appreciated very worried as nearly 200 two hundred pounds a month for 6 hours a week respite

[parasiticworm]

My friend gets 10 hours support a week and has to pay £360 to SS out his PIP a month.

[Bookbaby6851]

Hi I'm not up to date on Direct Payments but has she had a financial assessment by the local authority?

[DrSarahmac]

my daughter gets 10 hours per week and has to pay £23 per week towards it. They assess her income from benefits and take off a standard allowance for living costs and her rent and council tax. It was a formal assessment and we had a summary of the calculations. Have you had this?

[parasiticworm in reply to DrSarahmac]

Your daughter could be entitled to council tax reduction if they have an intellectual disability, under severe mental impairment council tax relief.

[Balamorym]

Hi we had the same, suddenly expected to contribute. We got around it by making a case for more hours direct payments. 6 hours is very low, ask for more for a PA to sit with your daughter or take her out. It doesn't matter if you don't use it, you can put the money towards her 6 hours activity instead. This is perfectly legal, social worker is aware, the money is meant to be flexible, they just need to make a case on paper for increased payments.

[Jacksonscafe in reply to Balamorym]

Thank you all, I will ask for more hours, I'm 62 and am always exhausted and my daughter should have more than 6 hours

[Jacksonscafe in reply to Jacksonscafe]

The problem is she gets her direct payments through aan agency and doesn't get the money into her bank account or my bank account I'm her mother and only carer

[Balamorym]

Also tell them about any disability related expenses eg incontinence pads frequent purchase of clothes/bedding/equipment etc. Keep receipts. These expenses should reduce your contribution.

[ssslondon]

LAs are allowed to ask for a contribution and nearly all do. The contribution is not linked to the size of the package provided. The LA can take into account her benefits - PIP care component but not mobility - and her UC. If she's on the highest rate for both they currently add up to about £270 per week. The LA must leave her with a minimum income - which is set by the government - but are allowed to ask for the difference between that and the total benefits as the contribution. the minimum income guarantee is not a single figure - age and circumstances make a difference. You can additionally make a case for disability related expenses to be taken into account as well. You can offset some household costs - her share of council tax, for example - but there's not a lot there. if you google inclusion london disability related expenses you will find a helpful app about disability related expenses.

[HolisticMum]

I appealed against the contribution wanted. It took me a long time to think of every single thing that he has to pay out of his benefit, as we usually buy as and when we need things. He has a special diet (wheat/gluten free etc). Food is much more expensive as we need to buy the best we can to support his immune system. The council would not allow for rent or council tax because he lives at home. I also stated that being home a lot of the time the cost of rising energy prices that we have to keep on all day is expensive. I'm sure I didn't put down everything and they wanted receipts as proof. It just makes more work for the parents and greater stress placed on us. Councils have a team of people, we are a team of 2 that have to wash, dress, feed, etc etc 24/7 and all unpaid and for love. Good luck everyone. Power to the parents.