The payment must only be used to meet your own needs, for example, you can pay someone to sit with the cared-for person to give you some free time to do something for YOU.

As a carer you cannot use the Direct Payment to purchase services to meet the assessed needs of the person you are caring for. This is because the cared for person may not wish to have personal care needs met by another person. Of course if the cared for person needs, for example, help with going to the toilet whilst you are away from home, the person who is providing the sitting service can assist them.

You can use the Direct Payment either to pay a care agency to provide a service, employ someone to provide a service or a combination of both.

Carers have often told us that they don’t like leaving the cared for person with a stranger or a different carer every week. With Direct Payments you could employ someone (called a Personal Assistant) you and/or the cared for person knows well and trusts giving you the opportunity to relax and enjoy your break.