Direct Payments
Direct payments are local council payments for
people who have been assessed as needing help from social services,
and who would like to arrange and pay for their own care and
support services instead of receiving them directly from the local
council. Everyone will be offered this option after a social
services assessment, and for those people who choose Direct
Payments it will give them greater choice and control over the
support they receive.
Who Can Receive A Direct Payment?
The following groups of people could receive Direct Payments
from KCC:
- Disabled people of all ages.
- Parents of disabled children for meet their children’s
needs.
- People with parental responsibility for a disabled child who
provide or intend to provide a substantial amount of care on a
regular basis for the child.
- Carers aged 16 and over.
Carers can receive Direct Payments if they
provide or intend to provide a substantial amount of care for
someone aged 18 or over where the council is satisfied that the
person being cared for is eligible to receive community care
services. Carers may receive direct payments in respect of services
for themselves, but not for services in respect of the 'cared for'
person.
The regulations made under the Health and
Social Care Act specify that Direct Payments may not be offered to
certain people whose liberty to arrange their care is restricted by
certain mental health or criminal justice legislation. Information
on these groups of people can be provided by your Care Manager on
request.
Find out more about Direct
Payments
Receiving your Direct Payments
Kent Card
Kent Card is a secure and convenient way of
receiving your direct payments. It is an easy way to pay for your
support as the Kent Card is a Chip and PIN VISA card which does not
need a bank account.
Kent County Council will load your direct
payments money onto the card instead of paying it into a bank
account. You can then pay for services face to face using your PIN
number, over the internet, or on the telephone.
You will get a monthly statement showing all
payments made using the card, which you can also access securely
online.
If you're interested in receiving your direct
payments through the Kent Card contact your care manager. They will
then arrange to visit you and will advise you if the companies you
want to use will accept the Kent Card. If the company you want to
use does not accept the Kent Card we will try to encourage them to
sign up to accept VISA payments in the future. Your care manager
will also be able to help you complete the application form.
Find out more about the Kent Card