Helping You Understand Direct Payments
You might ask what is Direct Payments, how does it work, how would I benefit from receiving Direct Payments and how would it improve my lifestyle?
-
Direct Payment is a sum of money you receive from your Local Council for your care needs, to live your life as independently as possible in your own home.
​
-
Firstly, you will need to be assessed by your Social Worker and get your care plan to suit your needs.
​
-
With Direct Payments, you can employ your own Carers or Personal Assistant and organise your life the way it suits you and remember it's your choice.
​​
-
The Direct Payment and Individual Budgets Team, at Merton Council, will guide you through the process regarding Direct Payments. Attached below is a Testimonial I gave to the Team Newsletter and describes my experiences of Direct Payments.
My Personal Testimonial:
​
I was introduced to Direct Payments in 2005 and what a real difference it has made to my everyday life within the Community.
​
Since I have been on Direct Payments:
​
-
I can live my life more independently and I choose how I want to live by organising my own care and whom I employ regarding Carers or Personal Assistants.
​
-
I do my own Payroll and my own accounts, which I chose to do myself as doing my own accounts keeps my mind occupied from time to time.
​
-
I can keep in touch within the community and go to different committee meetings for the groups that I am involved in. I have my Personal Assistant with me as she is there to support me with my needs when at meetings or if I want to go out for some leisure time.
​
-
My wife Mary has her time to do what she wants, like going swimming, visit her friends, have a cup of tea with them, or go shopping and she does not have to rush, she can do these things at her leisure.
​
-
I used to attend All Saints Resource Centre one day a week but now I choose to go to the Scill Centre in Sutton one day a week. The day I go to the Scill Centre in Sutton I have physio in the Gym and I am currently completing a computer course on the same day. This is all done through Direct Payments and I organised this myself with my Social Worker and the Direct Payment Team.
​
-
I would recommend to anyone who has a disability or anyone who is receiving care, to try and improve their lifestyle by going on Direct Payments and really try to make it work towards a better life for them for the future.
​
-
May I say thank you to everyone in the Direct Payment Team and in the Social Service Team for all their help whenever I have had any queries. I got straight answers every time and they got back to me within a day or so. Since I have been on Direct Payments my lifestyle has really improved as I am out a lot more in the community and can keep in touch with the outside world.
​
Signed: Patrick Daly
Patrick Daly
Direct Payment Customer