• Continence Advisory Service
• Falls prevention
• Hearing loss
• Healthy ageing
• Keeping warm in winter
• Optical services
• A smile for life - mouth care
  
• Patient information about Whipps Cross University Hospital
• Discharge from hosptial
• Intermediate care
• Transitional care
• Residential care
• Deaths and bereavements
• Living with a terminal illness
• Planning for later life as a lesbian, gay man, bisexual or transgendered person
• Lesbian, gay and bisexual faith groups
• Adult protection
• Crime prevention
• Direct payments
• Helping you to get out and about
• Need help with shopping?
• Welfare Benefits

Direct payments

What are Direct Payments?

Direct Payments are cash payments made by Local Authorities to people who have been assessed as needing community care services and who agree to one. The payments are an alternative to having services provided or arranged by Social Services. Direct Payments are a way of letting people have more control and choice over their day to day lives.

NOTE: The Social Services Direct Payments Scheme is NOT the same as the Department of Work and Pensions scheme to pay welfare benefits directly into bank accounts.

Who Can have Direct Payments?

You may be able to get Direct Payment if you are 16 or over and have been assessed as needing a community care service and fall into one of the groups below:

• People with a physical disability
• People with a physical disability
• People with a sensory impairment
• People with a learning disability
• People with mental ill health
• People affected by HIV/AIDS
• Older People
• Carer of a disabled child
• Disabled person with parental responsibility for a child
• Carers

You will also need to show that you are willing and able to manage a Direct Payment (you can have assistance with this).

How can Direct Payment be used?

Social Services can make Direct Payments for all community care services they would normally arrange or provide. This includes:

• Help with personal care e.g. bathing and toileting
• Help with practical activities in the home e.g. preparing food and cleaning
• Help with activities in the community e.g. leisure, social and educational activities
• Help with caring e.g. respite care and taking a break from caring

What will I need to do?

If you decide to use Direct Payments you will be in charge of arranging your own care services. You can have help to do this. Your responsibilities will include:

• Making arrangements to receive and manage the cash payments e.g. opening a separate bank account
• Keeping records of spend and submitting returns to the Council
• Making sure that Direct Payments are used only for services that you have been assessed as needing

• Recruiting and employing staff (staff can include close relatives who do not live in your home)
• Organising and managing staff's day to day tasks

Can I have help to arrange my Direct Payment?

Yes. The Council has a contract with an independent organisation. Disability Action Waltham Forest, who can guide you through all the stages of setting up a Direct Payment, including assistance with:

• Recruiting workers e.g. writing job descriptions and adverts, holding interviews
• Empolying workers e.g. agreeing terms and conditions of work, drafting contracts
• Giving general advice and information.

What is the Council responsible for?

The Council ensures that you continue to get the care you need.

• Review your care needs on a regular basis
• Advise and support how best to manage your care needs
• Check that direct payments are working out well for you
• Check you have arrangements in place so that if your Personal Assistant is sick or on annual leave you have cover

What amount will I receive?

Your community care assessment will say what your needs are and what type and level of service you are entitled to. Social Services will work with you to agree a Care Package. This will usually state the number of hours of care Social Services will fund. If you choose direct payments, you will receive a flat rate for each hour (this covers the money paid to a Personal Assistant/agency, and other costs e.g. national insurance, advertising, sick leave etc.).

Will I have to pay to a charge?

Like with all other care packages, you will then be assessed to see if you need to pay a contribution towards your care depending on your individual financial circumstances. The Financial Assessment Unit will calculate any financial charge after the Community Care Assessment has been carried out.

Direct payments do not affect your welfare benefits, they are not taken into account when social security benefits are calculated. They are not income taxed.

More information

If you think you may be eligible for community care services and would like an assessment please contact your local Social Services First Response Team. If you already receive community care services and would like to consider Direct Payments, please contact your Social Services Team.

Contact Organisations

Social Service Teams

For adults (over 18) with physical disabilities and older people in the North of the Borough please contact:

First Response North,
313 Billet Road,
Walthamstow E17 5PX
Tel 020 8496 3000
Fax 020 8496 2011

For adults (over 18) with physical disabilities and older people in the South of the Borough please contact:

First Response South,
90 Crownfield Road,
Leytonstone E11 2EJ
Tel 020 8496 3000
Fax 020 8496 1203
Minicom 020 8496 1249

For adults with learning disabilities:

Learning Disabilities Independence Living Team, (Services for people with learning disabilities) 47 Gainsford Road
Walthamstow E17
Tel 020 8496 3000

For people with mental ill health:

Locality Mental Health Team North,
Larkswood Centre,
Thorpe Coombe Hospital,
Walthamstow E17
Tel 020 8535 6848

Locality Mental Health Team South, South Forest Centre
21 Thorne Close,
Langthorne Road,
Leytonstone E11 4HU
Tel 020 8535 6480

Greenthorne (Services for Older People with Dementia) 1 Merriam Close,
Larkshall Road,
Chingford E4 9JQ
Tel 020 8523 0799

For people affected by HIV/AIDS:

HIV Care Management Team, 313 Billet Road,
Walthamstow E17 5PX
Tel 020 8531 3880

For people who are in hospital please contact:

Hospital Social Work Team,
Whipps Cross Hospital,
Whipps Cross Road,
Leytonstone E11
Tel 020 8539 5522
Minicom: 020 8558 2885

For children and young people please contact:

First Response Children and Families
8 Buxton Road, Walthamstow E17 7EJ
Tel 020 8496 3000
Fax 020 8496 2313

Direct Payment Support Schemes

Disability Action Direct Payment Support Scheme 1a Warner Road,
Walthamstow E17 7DY
Tel 020 8509 0812

Hornsey Management Agency (HMA) (Provide a finance service) Waltham Forest Business Centre,
5 Blackhorse Lane,
Walthamstow E17 6DS
Tel 020 8531 9995

Equalities: National Council for Disabled People and Carers from Black and Minority Ethnic Communities
(Provide advocacy and information) Waltham Forest College,
Forest Road,
Walthamstow E17 4JB)
Tel 020 8527 3211

Voluntary Organisations

Age Concern Waltham Forest
Ground Floor,
Zenith House,
210 Church Road,
Leyton E10 7JQ
Tel 020 8558 5512

London East Aids Network
60 St Mary Road,
Walthamstow E17 9RE
Tel 020 8509 3440

Waltham Forest MENCAP[br] Mencap Centre,
la Matlock Road,
Leyton E10 6BN
Tel 020 8556 8893

For more information about Direct Payments, please go to: http://www.walthamforest.gov.uk/index/care/adults-and-older-people/directpayments.htm