Direct Payments

A direct payment is money you can receive from the council to buy care and support services.

A direct payment is one of the ways you can receive your personal budget,(following assessment) and puts you in charge of your care or support arrangements, giving independence and flexibility over who provides your care and how and when it is delivered.

The services purchased with direct payments must be safe, legal and meet your care and support needs. Social care staff can help and support you, as you decide whether direct payments are for you.

Most people who are eligible for social care services are also eligible for direct payments including:

• Older people and disabled people over the age of 16
• People with physical or sensory disabilities
• People with learning disabilities
• People with mental health issues
• People who do not have the mental capacity to consent to direct payments can have an appointed person to manage direct payments on their behalf.

If you don't want a direct payment, you could also consider:

• Asking the council to hold your budget and organise your support on your behalf
• You could have a mixture, so that the council manage part of your personal budget and you manage part

You could use a 'support broker', if you do not want to the council to manage your budget and do not want to manage it yourself. They will help you manage your budget and provide the services.

Sunderland City Council are introducing pre-paid card for direct payments in Adults Social Care. Pre-paid cards are increasingly being used across the country as an effective way to deliver direct payments which offers a number of benefits to direct payment customers. Pre-paid cards will also provide an effective way for Sunderland City Council to monitor and validate direct payment expenditure than the current systems.

For help please click here to read our direct payment guidance document