No Direct Payments are one way of providing for your care needs; they are not classed as income and cannot be taken into account when you are assessed for welfare benefits. You do not need to inform the Benefits Agency that you are receiving a Direct Payment but it might be helpful for them to know that you are receiving the money to pay for your care.
Unfortunately the Government have caused some confusion by using the term “Direct Payment” to refer to the way in which state benefits are paid into a bank account. This is completely different from Direct Payments for Care, which is what we are describing here.
Yes You will need to keep some simple records of how you have spent your Direct Payments money. Every month the Council will need you to send in a return telling us how many hours of care you have received and how much it cost. The Direct Payments Finance Officer will explain this to you when they visit. The council needs to know this information, as it is responsible for how public money is spent.
You may be asked to make a contribution towards the cost of your care; this will depend on your financial circumstances and will be the same whether you have a Direct Payment or a service arranged by the Council.
If you are assessed as needing to make a contribution towards your care, this amount will be deducted from the Direct Payment the Council pays you each month, and you will need to pay your contribution into your Direct Payments bank account.
Accessibility Guideline Notes
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