During your care needs assessment, we will work out what kind of care and support you need and how much we think it will all cost. This is your personal budget.
Once you have completed a financial assessment our team will work out how much, if anything, you need to pay towards your care needs. This is sometimes called your client contribution
You can spend your personal budget on the eligible care and services that are included in your care support plan. If, the council agrees to contibute to the cost of your care, there are two ways to manage your personal budget:
- Council-managed: The council arranges and pays for your care based on your agreed care and support plan. We’ll review this regularly with you to make sure it still meets your needs.
- Direct payments: This means the council gives the money directly to you (or someone you trust), and you choose and pay for your own care. This gives you more choice and control over how your care is arranged.
What are direct payments
Direct payments are regular payments from the council to help you buy the care and support you need
They were introduced under the Care Act 2014 and aim to give people more control and flexibility in how their care is delivered.
With a direct payment, you could:
- arrange personal care and help around the home
- pay a personal assistant or agency
- attend day activities or social groups
- take short stays in a care home (up to 4 weeks per year)
- buy equipment to help you live independently
The exact use will depend on what’s agreed in your Care and Support Plan.
How to get a Direct Payment
If you’ve had your needs assessed and a personal budget agreed, you can ask for a direct payment. There’s no deadline—you can choose it at any time.
Your social worker or care coordinator will refer you to the Brent Direct Payment Service, who will contact you to explain your options and help you get started.
Direct Payment Service
The Direct Payment Service is free and here to help. They will provide you with support to manage your direct payment account, your costs, as well as help with more practical things such as recruiting and employing staff, paying wages and sorting out Tax and National Insurance contributions.
Types of direct payment accounts
Brent offers two types of direct payment accounts:
- A non-managed account: You receive the money and take full responsibility. This includes hiring carers, managing payroll, and handling tax and records. You’ll have full control but also full responsibility.
- A managed account: The council, or a third party, manages your direct payments and pays your carers or support services on your behalf. You still choose your carers and are responsible for how services are delivered.
No matter which account you choose, you stay in control of how your budget is used.
Receiving your direct payments
We will set you up with a Prepaid Financial Service (PFS) account. Your direct payments will be paid into this account and can be used to manage and pay for your care and support services.
What direct payments cannot be used for
There are some things direct payments can’t be used for, including:
- long-term residential care
- services provided directly by the council
- hiring someone you live with (unless the council agrees it’s necessary)
- daily living costs like food, rent or utility bills
- health services such as dental or NHS equipment
- gambling or illegal activities
- holiday costs, not related to your care
- anything not in your agreed care and support plan.
Changes in situation
You must tell us if your circumstances change. This might include changes to your income of assets including property, benefits or housing situation. This may change how much you need to contribute towards your social care costs.
When managed payments may be better
If you are not confident about keeping records or managing the people who care for you, you can ask us to manage your payments for you.
You may decide direct payments are not helpful if:
- you're worried about managing money or the people you employ
- you spend a lot of time in hospital
- you would rather the council arranged your care.
You could also consider having someone else manage your direct payments, for example a friend or family member. You'll need to set up a trust for payments that are managed by someone else.