Direct payments and activities

lovetowinacar

My friend has applied for direct payments for her adult daughter to provide respite so she can remain living in the family home and not residential care for as long as possible.

Can direct payments be used to fund swimming lessons for the disabled daughter with her respite worker? The respite worker is able to take her out but friend cannot afford activities which cost far more for disabled than non disabled. So apart from going for a coffee there is little for them to do together when out that doesn't cost a fortune.

Many thanks if anyone knows the answer.

nannytone_2

it used to be possible, but im not sure as there have been so many changes.
i use the gym and in the information pack it said that gym membership MAY be allowable if can be proven to specifically benefit the person by having a beneficial impact on their disability.
in general thoug, direct payments are made to cover wages/ expenses and fees for the CARER and not the person receiving the care.
i know that i cant claim for petrol that my PA uses ( this has to come out of my pocket) DLA is for the additional costs of the disability ( so if swimming costs more for her than an able bodied person) the DLA is meant to cover this.
you also have ta ask permission for any money sprent on things other than the agreed carer hours.
the money isnt there to be spent on anything that the recipient chooses.
i use a payroll company to process my payments, with a managed bank account.
i have no access at all to the direct payment money, and if i am given permission to buy something that is necessary to help with my disability i have to send invoices to the account manager and then onto social services.

kingfisherblue

In my area, DP are to cover the cost of the staffing, not the activities. That falls on the family to pay. For swimming lessons, we have specific 1:1 lessons for disabled people at the same cost of classes for children. It might be worth your friend asking whether these are available where she lives. The biggest problem that we have is the length of the waiting lists - about two years.


Cheap or free ideas for time spent with a DP worker could include:
* choosing library books, or using computers in the library. My local library also has CDs, DVDs, board games and a Wii.
* window shopping, or shopping for items you would buy anyway.
* cycling for the disabled. Wheels For All have several schemes throughout the country - our local scheme costs £2 per hour, per person. Able bodied people can participate alongside disabled people.
* bowling - some bowling alleys have cheap rates at off peak times.
* cinema. With a CEA card, the carer goes free. Yes, it still costs £7+ for the ticket for the disabled person, but that is equivalent to a couple of coffees and pieces of cake.
* taking the disabled person to an appointment.
* community centres - check to see what is available in your area. Some have a wider variety of activities than others.
* museums. Many are free. I think there is a link somewhere on MSE to free or cheap museums.
* fitness classes. Some local authorities run cheap or free classes. In my area, as well as those run by the LA, a local housing association also runs them, mainly in community centres.
* gardening, either at home or at allotments. There isn't always the need to rent your own allotment, there are some community allotments around.
* Riding for the Disabled - £5 a few miles from me.
* local clubs - look for cookery, art or sports clubs.
* fruit picking (can be expensive if as enthusiastic as my son, but at least you can eat the produce). Some fruit farms also have maize mazes. I think I paid 50p each to go into one last year, about twenty minutes from where I live. Dotted around the maze were old pieces of farm equipment, which both my son found fascinating (one disabled, the other not. Personally I found them a bit boring, but the lads were happy).
* urban farms - entrance is often cheaper than a fancy coffee. Acorn Farm in Liverpool also employs a number of disabled people.
* local beauty spots. Some cost, but others are free. Some have a Ranger service. Our local Rangers have a programme of free events throughout the year.


For the times they do go out for a coffee, they could try somewhere different each time. As well as coffee shops and ordinary cafes, what about community cafes, garden centre cafes, or church coffee mornings (usually non-religious and purely to help raise funds for the church).


There may be local disability groups that offer activities as well. I help to run a parent led group for families who have a child with disabilities. Every month we have a cinema trip, a soft play centre trip (exclusive to our group, so older children and adults can join in), and two trips to sensory activity centres. During the summer we also have a weekly session at a community centre, as well as a variety of 'one off' events. Some are free of charge, others you pay for. It depends on our funding.


Some areas have Gateway clubs for people with learning disabilities. These are for over 18s only. Ordinary social clubs might be another idea, as you are referring to an adult. The DP worker would have to stick to soft drinks. Many social clubs have a monthly singer, weekly bingo, and other activities. My son loves dancing, so when he is older, I am considering a social club that has regular singers as he will enjoy this. He won't be able to drink alcohol due to the amount of medication he is on, but that isn't an issue. Drinks in social clubs are often quite cheap.


The council youth team might have a Duke of Edinburgh group, or an Adventure Service Challenge group. With support, some young people with disabilities can participate in these schemes. They are not costly.


The council sports development team can point you in the direction of any sporting opportunities that are appropriate. In addition to specific disability sports, there may be mainstream activities that people with disabilities can participate in. My younger son goes to a council run gym, free of charge. One of the other lads that attends is in the same special school as my older son.


Depending on the area and the interests of the disabled person, a trip on the bus, train or ferry can be interesting. In Merseyside, the Disabled Person's buspass includes trains, underground and ferries in the Merseyside area. My son travels for free, although those with him have to pay. A daysaver is about £5. We're thinking about a ferry ride over the summer - something different for us. In some areas, the buspass has +C on it, entitling a companion to travel free as well. Usually it only covers buses, but Merseyside covers the other ways of travelling that I have mentioned.


The library, council, or social work team might be able to give details of what is available in your friends' area. The local carer's centre, if you have one, can also be helpful. In addition, there is a thread on here about discounts for the disabled - worth trawling through.

System

lovetowinacar wrote: »

My friend has applied for direct payments for her adult daughter to provide respite so she can remain living in the family home and not residential care for as long as possible.

Can direct payments be used to fund swimming lessons for the disabled daughter with her respite worker? The respite worker is able to take her out but friend cannot afford activities which cost far more for disabled than non disabled. So apart from going for a coffee there is little for them to do together when out that doesn't cost a fortune.

Many thanks if anyone knows the answer.

Im not sure about direct payments but my local pool offers disable swimming sessions [not lessons] for £1.50 per person.

lovetowinacar

Thank you for the replies and the great suggestions which I have passed on.