4: Making sure you receive the right amount of direct payments

A: I’m talking to my social worker about receiving direct payments. I would like to use them to pay for a communicator guide. How do I get the right amount of direct payments?

B: yes, getting the right amount of direct payment is a very important issue for deafblind people. If you have specific communication needs, a service will probably cost more. The direct payment must be enough to meet your assessed needs. What does your assessment state? There may be some detail on there.

A: My assessment says I should get support from a communicator guide with BSL who can communicate well with me.

B: You’re right; in that case, this means your direct payment should be enough to buy support from a communicator guide with the right level of BSL skills.

A: But my council have told me that there is a maximum amount for a direct payment. I don’t think this will be enough to pay for a communicator guide with BSL.

B: yes, the government guidance is clear that the money must be enough to meet your needs. Your council, any council should not have a fixed rate.

A: So I can pay whatever I like?

B: Well no not really, the amount must be reasonable. That means if you need enough to pay for BSL support, like a communicator guide, it should cover that.

A: But what about other costs? For example if I decide I want to use my direct payments to employ someone? Are there other costs associated with this? And will my direct payments cover this?

B: Now that’s a good question. Your direct payment should cover the associated costs with buying the service you want. If you employ someone, it should cover things like National Insurance contributions, recruitment costs, and employers’ liability insurance. If you want to use an agency, this may have an extra cost as they will add their fee to this cost.

A: so thinking about costs, how do I know how much this will be?

B: Yes, it might be useful to talk to your social worker, local direct payments support service or other people who already use direct payments. The main thing is to work out how much you think it will cost for you to get the service you need before you agree to receive direct payments.

A: I now use BSL but in the future I might have to use hands-on sign. As hands-on sign support is more expensive than BSL, how do I make sure that my direct payments cover the costs of this?

B: Yes, if your needs change, you are entitled to have a review of your needs. You should explain what has changed, your circumstances might have changed, the kind of support you now need and you will need to explain why you need a higher amount of direct payment.

A: Thanks but what do I do if I’m still not happy with the amount of direct payments I am being offered?

B: yes you should make it clear that the amount will not be enough. Some services are not aware of the needs of deafblind people, so they may not understand why you are asking for a higher rate of direct payment. You might want to involve an independent advocate. You are also entitled to use the council complaints system in the same way you would if you were getting a service directly from the council. If you are still having problems, you might think about seeking some legal advice. Now, Sense can give you some advice about making complaints or getting the appropriate legal support.