Welcome to our area all about direct payments! We have made some decisions recently which changes the way we make direct payments. If you want to read about the consultation that we ran to help us with our decisions, you can read a report on it.
This area of our site will keep you up to date with changes and how they are being made. We will keep adding information as our plans progress.
What has changed?
- From 1 April 2021 we started to make all new direct payments via a direct payment card account
- From 1 April 2021 we started to work with existing direct payment users to plan which direct payments we will move to card accounts first. We aim to have all existing direct payments moved to card accounts by April 2022
- We aim to have a new relationship with organisations that help people manage their direct payments, from April 2022. We will share more information about this later in 2021, or early in 2022
What does this mean for you?
If you have a new direct payment from 1 April 2021, we will pay your direct payment to you via a card account. We are working towards making direct payment card accounts available as close to 1 April 2021 as possible.
If you have an existing direct payment, we will move this to a card account between April 2021 and April 2022. The amount of direct payment that we pay you, and what you spend it on, will not change because of the move to card accounts. The move will not stop you spending your direct payments as agreed in your care plan.
If you are an existing direct payment holder and the following apply to you, you are likely to move to a direct payment card account soonest after April 2021:
- You have support from an organisation that helps manage your direct payment. Do not worry if this is you; your support organisation will do most of the work involved and guide you through any changes you need to make
- You have a computer or another way to get online that you are confident about using
We think it will be easier for people with help from a support organisation, and who can get online, to move to a direct payment card account. That is why this group of people are likely to move to a direct payment card account soonest after April 2021. We hope to make the easiest changes first.
If you don’t have help from a support organisation or a way to get online, you are more likely to move to a card account later in 2021. Whenever it is your turn to move to a card account, we will help you.
Please do not worry about these changes. Your service will remain the same, it is just the way it is administered that will change. The finance team at focus will work with you to ensure the change is smooth and you understand what is happening. You do not need to do anything until the finance team at focus contact you. It may be some months until they contact you. For now, continue your direct payment account as normal.
What to do if you are worried or want to know more?
We have created a ‘Frequently Asked Questions’ (FAQ) Page.
If you want to talk through what a direct payment card account might mean for you, please phone the Community Care Finance team on 0300 330 2910.
If you want to share your worries with an organisation that is independent from us, you can phone Healthwatch on 01472 361459. Healthwatch will not be able to answer technical questions about direct payment card accounts, but they can listen to your general concerns about the changes.
What you need to do now
You don’t need to do anything differently now. We will contact you again to talk about what a direct payment card account might mean for you in more detail. If you would like to phone us before we do that, please use one of the numbers written above.
We know that any change can be unsettling. We want to reassure you that we will help you to make the move to direct payment card accounts as easy as possible. Remember, the service you get via a direct payment will not change because of this move.
We know that any change can be unsettling. We want to reassure you that we will help you to make the move to direct payment card accounts as easy as possible. Remember, the service you get via a direct payment will not change because of this move.
As our plans for direct payments develop, we will keep placing updates on this webpage.
Direct Payment factsheets
What is a direct payments and how do I get one?
My payments and affect on benefits
Acting as an Authorised Person
How will my direct payment be monitored and what records do I need to keep?
Using support at home organisations
Direct payment support organisations
Direct Payment newsletters
Direct Payments Newsletter 6 – January 2022 (PDF)
Direct Payments Newsletter 5 – September 2021 (PDF)
Direct Payments Newsletter 4 – August 2021 (PDF)
Direct Payments Newsletter 3 – July 2021 (PDF)
Direct Payments Newsletter 2 – May 2021 (PDF)
Direct Payments Newsletter 1 – April 2021 (PDF)
Direct Payments Policy
If you would like to read our direct payment policy, it’s available to view.
New Direct Payment agreements
If you have a direct payment to meet your needs, we will ask you to sign an agreement with us. This is so that you and we will understand what we are each responsible for.
We have made some changes to what we ask you to sign, to make sure we are up to date with our new ways of working. We have also made different types of agreement. Which one we use depends on whether:
- you are able to decide for yourself to have a direct payment, or
- if you can’t decide about direct payments for yourself, someone else has made the decision for you.
Our staff will talk you though the agreement that is relevant to your situation before you sign it. We are sharing the agreements here, in case anyone would like to read them in advance.
If you are able to decide for yourself and want to receive the direct payment yourself, this is the agreement for you: Agreement 1 individual with capacity to request a direct payment (PDF). You can read a quick summary of what you need to know about the agreement here: Direct payments agreements document (PDF).
If you are able to decide for yourself and want to nominate someone else to receive the direct payment for you, this is the agreement for you: Agreement 2 individual with capacity to request a direct payment + nominated person (PDF). You, and anyone you want to nominate to receive your direct payment, can read a quick summary of what you both need to know about the agreement here: Direct payment agreement – you and your nominated person (PDF).
If you can’t decide for yourself, and someone else has made the decision for you, this is the agreement for them: Agreement 3 individual lacking capacity to request a direct payment (PDF). If you want to receive a direct payment for someone else, you can read a quick summary of what you need to know about the agreement here: Direct payment agreement – acting as an authorised person (PDF).
If you are a carer and want to receive a direct payment, this is the agreement for you: Agreement 4 carer with capacity to request a direct payment.
You MUST read any agreement in full before you sign it.
Page last updated: 03 May 2023