Direct Payments Same Household

whambam

Hello,

Does anyone receive direct payments for care of a person living in the same household? My aunt got it for years for looking after her son however she forgot how much she got and how the whole process works and how she applied.

We use the local council to make decisions for us, however this costs us £200 per month from our household budget increasing each year so we want to reduce this by getting direct payments and avoid using a private care company who employs carers to look after someone.

sheramber

from Google

https://www.gov.uk/apply-direct-payments

nannytone_2

you will still have to contribute towards the costs of the direct payments..
your local authority will invoice you every month for the same amount as they do now, as it is a set figure based on circumstances of the person receiving the care. ( so a combination of their income and disability benefits)

the person providing the care will have to be an 'employee' and pay tax and NI. from May there will also be pension contributions.
you will also have to sort out, and pay for liability insurance.

so if your only reason for choosing the direct payment route is to avoid the £200 a month cost, then it wont work, because you will have to pay it anyway.

whambam

why would the local authority invoice us for? They pay you into your bank account and you have to keep receipts.


Carer works from private care companies pay £11-22 per hour for their services no wonder we have to pay their wages and private care companies fees.

We will decide how we spend the budget he gets based on his circumstances not anyone else, but they always try and fob you off saying can't do it because of xyz when the law says different you have a legal right to have direct payments.

nannytone_2

they invoice you for your co payment ( the amount they say you have to pay towards the care you purchase via direct ppayments. i pay 70% of my DLA care every month as my contribution)
you need a dedicated bank account which the DP are paid into, and all amounts for care are paid out of.

you can't just use this money as you see fit. you use it to employ a carer and thats it. anything else you may wish to spend money on has to be given permission first.

as i said previously ... it all has to be above board.
anyone employed has to pay tax and NI and needs pay slips and access to a pension.
it isn't extra money to spend as you wish

whambam

I am not implying I am getting free money to spend as I wish far from it.

I want to use the money more effectively as they have given a 4 figure budget for the year plus our own contribution, its no way near 70% of DLA more like 10% of DLA.

Did you change from getting services from local councils who use private firms or always got direct payments from the start?

I guess you get a tax free allowance for the first 11.5K?

What percentage do you need to contribute towards a pension is it mandatory?

Icequeen99

whambam wrote: »

I am not implying I am getting free money to spend as I wish far from it.

I want to use the money more effectively as they have given a 4 figure budget for the year plus our own contribution, its no way near 70% of DLA more like 10% of DLA.

Did you change from getting services from local councils who use private firms or always got direct payments from the start?

I guess you get a tax free allowance for the first 11.5K?

What percentage do you need to contribute towards a pension is it mandatory?

What Nannytone is saying is that the contribution you are assessed as making (£200 a month) is the same whether the LA provide the carers or whether you get the direct payments.

I get direct payments and I use them to employ 3 carers - but we still get invoiced each month from the LA for our contribution to the care costs.

You can only use direct payments to employ someone in your own household (i.e. a family member who lives with you) in very exceptional circumstances.

IQ

nannytone_2

the amount you are assessed as needing would probably be less than they pay for agency staff, as employing someone directly is cheaper than going through an agency.

how is your co fund less than 19% of DLA if your contribution is £200 a month? or is this for extra care that you buy in?

from april, every employer has to make pension provision. it isn't much but has to be sortei have only ever had direct payments as my needs aren't for physical care. i am blind and employ a PA to help with issues that occur because i cannot see.

yes the personal tax allowance is valid, but all figures have to be reported to HMRC just in the same way as any other PAYE job.

insurance also needs to be budgeted for

whambam

He is higher rate with mobility and he got £9800 from the council year 1 we had no costs to pay at all and he got 15 hours of care per week. We had to pay £30 per week for his activities gym, swimming, walking and cinema.

Last year we got £8800 towards his care costs and we had to contribute £1560 plus £1440 of our own money for his activities as they don't pay for them.

They way I see it is the council and us together are paying the private care company £933 per month for 15 hours of care and they do not pay for the activities which THEY decided.

I guess they use that money to pay wages and running costs of the private care company. Better we manage it and get his weight down as he is obese and they ain't got a clue what to do.

Also, they costs go up each year 2-3% inflation i guess.

Finefoot

If you employ a carer direct, it would be a lot less per hour than the agency cost. There are firms that will work out the wages, taxes etc for you, Have you thought of having an assessment for a personal health budget?

whambam

After applying for direct payments and my brother on a waiting list for 6 weeks they have set up an appointment to assess if we qualify for direct payments!

Anyone been through this home visit assessment any advice its next Tuesday.