Direct Payments Explained: How to Take Control of Your Care

Direct Payments are one of the most empowering — and most underused — tools in the UK social care system. They give people with assessed care needs real choice and control: instead of having services arranged by the council, you receive the funding directly and buy your own care. Here's everything you need to know.

A Direct Payment is a cash payment made by the council to people who have been assessed as having eligible care needs. Instead of the council arranging services on your behalf, they give you the money — and you arrange your own support.

This means you choose who provides your care, when they come, what they help with, and how the support is delivered. You are in control.

Most adults in England with eligible care needs can receive Direct Payments. You must have had a care needs assessment and been found to have eligible needs. There is no minimum amount of need — even people who need only a few hours of support per week can receive Direct Payments.

Carers can also receive Direct Payments for their own assessed needs as a carer, following a Carer's Assessment.

You can use Direct Payments to buy personal care from an agency, employ your own personal assistant, pay for support to go out and maintain social activities, buy equipment or technology that helps you meet your care needs, pay for a day service or activity.

You cannot generally use them to pay a close relative who lives with you, buy things the council could not itself provide, or save the money without the council's agreement. The key test is whether the spending is meeting your assessed care needs.

Many people use Direct Payments to employ a personal assistant — someone they hire themselves. This gives maximum flexibility. Your PA can be anyone: someone recruited through an agency, a friend or neighbour (as long as they don't live with you), or someone found via PA networks.

Employing a PA means you take on responsibilities as an employer: providing a contract, paying employer's National Insurance, arranging holiday and sick pay, keeping payroll records, arranging insurance. Most councils provide free support with this — ask about their PA support or payroll services.

Step 1: Request a care needs assessment from your local council. Call adult social care and say you would like a needs assessment. It is free.

Step 2: If your needs are assessed as eligible, ask for a Direct Payment rather than council-arranged care.

Step 3: Open a separate bank account for the Direct Payment money — most councils require this.

Step 4: Arrange your own care and keep records of how you spend the money.

The council will review your care plan regularly. Get help from your council's Direct Payments support service, or contact organisations like In Control or NCIL (National Centre for Independent Living) for independent advice.