Direct Payments

Adult care services, such as Herts Homecare, will always initially carry out an assessment of your needs. Once you have been assessed as needing support you may be eligible for cash payments. This will enable you to arrange your own support from service providers such as Herts Homecare. These cash payments are called direct payments. If you are already receiving support from adult care services you may be able to convert to direct payments.

Your local adult care services have to offer direct payments to all eligible adults who have been assessed as needing a social care service, but want to make their own arrangements. The criteria is that you must be over 16 and be willing and able to make your own arrangements. 

The amount of money you receive will depend on the level of care you require and is usually the cash equivalent of what it would cost adult care services to meet your assessed care needs. You may be required to contribute to the cost of your care depending on your income and savings. Your direct payment is reduced accordingly and you are expected to meet the shortfall. Adult care services will take this into account when they are making a calculation of your direct payments. You will have to open a separate bank account to receive your direct payments and also keep a record of all payments made out of this account. Adult care services will need to see a records of how your direct payment has been spent to make sure that the money has been spent on meeting the care you have been assessed as needing.

For further information, if you live in Hertfordshire, you can contact Hertfordshire Adult Care Services on 01438 737400