Direct payments

• What are direct payments?
• What can I use a direct payment for?
• How do I get a direct payment?
• How are direct payments managed?
• Can someone help me to manage my direct payment?
• More information

Direct payment are regular payments made by Portsmouth City Council to help you arrange and pay for your own care and support services.

Instead of the council organising care on your behalf, you receive an agreed amount of money to manage your support. This gives you more choice, flexibility and control over how your care needs are met.

You can choose:

• Who supports you
• When they provide support
• How your care is delivered.

Your direct payment must be used to meet the eligible care and support needs outlined in your support plan.

If you’re unable to manage direct payments yourself, a trusted friend or family member may be able to manage them on your behalf.

Direct payments are designed to help you meet your assessed care and support needs in a way that works best for you. You can use this direct payment to:

• Employ a personal assistant (PA) to help with daily tasks and personal care.
• Buy care services from a registered domiciliary care agency
• Arrange short-term breaks or respite care to give you or your carer a rest
• Purchase support from a micro-provider – small, local services offering flexible, personalised care.
• Support your carer to help them continue in their caring role.

You can choose to have some services arranged by the council and manage others yourself using direct payments.

If you’ve been assessed by Portsmouth City Council as having eligible care and support needs, you can choose to manage this yourself with a direct payment.

Here’s how it works:

1. Assessment – We assess your care needs and agree on a support plan.
2. Information and advice – We explain the benefits and responsibilities of direct payments.
3. Referral – If you choose direct payments, we’ll refer you to our Direct Payments team.
4. Support – A direct payments officer will visit you to explain your responsibilities and provide tools and guidance to help you manage your payment.

Already receiving council-arranged care? You can switch to direct payments at any time. Just speak to your social care worker.

Your direct payment is paid every four weeks onto a prepaid card, which you can then use to pay for care and support services online or by phone. The card cannot be overdrawn.

We regularly review your care and support plan to ensure your needs are being met and that your direct payment is being used appropriately.

If you’re required to contribute towards the cost of your care, you’ll receive a monthly invoice.

Yes, there are several options if you need help managing your direct payment.

Nominee

You can appoint a nominee (such as a friend or family member) to manage the direct payments on your behalf. The council will check that they are suitable and willing to take on this responsibility.

Authorised person

If you lack the capacity to consent to direct payments, an authorised person can be appointed to manage the payment for you. They will receive the same support and information you would.

Managed account

If you want the flexibility of a direct payment but not the responsibility of managing the finances, a managed account service can help.

Your direct payments officer can explain each of these options to you in more detail.

• Read our Direct Payments Policy
• Portsmouth Personal Assistant Noticeboard: 023 9243 7896
• Visit the Portsmouth Pan website
• Email: noticeboard@portsmouthcc.gov.uk