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Welcome to East Sussex DPSS provided by Purple

Purple DPSS launches in East Sussex supporting Service Users by offering a comprehensive managed accounts service to Direct Payment holders.

Purple has a long history of providing Direct Payment and Personal Health Budget support services across the UK and is delighted to be working with East Sussex Council in delivering managed account services.

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Care and support drop in event for Personal Assistants (PAs) and Unpaid Carers

Do you provide care and support within people’s homes or the community — or are you an unpaid carer looking for advice and services to support you?

Come along to East Sussex Council’s free Care and Support Drop-In event to meet the Purple team and local organisations offering information, guidance, and practical support.

📅 Tuesday 14 October
🕚 11am – 2pm
📍 The Civic Centre, Uckfield, East Sussex, TN22 1AE

Click here to learn more
Direct payments are when the money allocated for your support is paid directly to you, so that you can pay for the support you choose to meet your needs. It is the main way to receive all or part of a personal budget if you want direct control of the money available to support you.

If you qualify for support from Adult Social Care in East Sussex, you can choose to buy this support yourself by having the money allocated for your support paid into a direct payment account. This way, you can organize and buy the care and support that you need, instead of having Adult Social Care organize and provide services for you.

This gives you more choice and control over how your needs are met. You choose who will help you, and when and how they do. You can use your budget flexibly, using support when you need it, not always in the same fixed pattern.

You can get direct payments if you are:

  • A client of Adult Social Care (anyone 18 or over)
  • A carer of an adult
  • A disabled child

There are a few exceptions to this, but we will explain in more detail if necessary.

To be offered direct payments, you need a social care needs assessment. This assessment looks at your needs and determines whether you qualify for help from us.

If you do qualify, East Sussex council will work out the likely cost of your care and support and how much we can give you towards it.

You can choose to take some or all the money allocated to you for your support as a direct payment.

What you choose will be written in a document called a support plan. This plan shows how you have chosen to meet your eligible care and support needs and achieve the things that you want to do.

East Sussex Council will look at your total income and your savings (called a ‘financial assessment’) to work out the amount you need to pay towards the cost of your support. You can find out more about this in the leaflet: What You Will Need to Pay Towards the Cost of Your Care and Support.

If the financial assessment shows that you need to contribute to the cost of your care, you will need to pay this towards your direct payment straight away. You can pay this weekly or four-weekly.

It is very important to pay your contribution into your chosen direct payment account, so there is enough money for you to pay for services.

Direct payments must be used to meet your eligible care and support needs and the outcomes in your support plan. If at any time you want to change how you meet your needs, you can always contact your social care worker to discuss this.

Most people spend their direct payments on employing a personal assistant or paying companies to provide home care support, but there are many ways you can use them.

Managing your Direct Payments with Purple DPSS

Purple Direct Payment Support Service offers the following options:

  • Purple Managed Account (Payroll & Invoicing): Purple manages funds, processes invoices, and makes payments to providers; DP holder handles contracts and issue resolution.
  • Purple Managed Account (Payroll Only): Purple manages funds and payroll, making payments based on PA timesheets; DP holder handles contracts and issue resolution.

 

Contact our team

For information about applying for Direct Payments (Adults):

 

Complete a Social Care needs assessment online

Call: 0345 60 80 191

Text: 07537 418236

Email: hscc@eastsussex.gov.uk

Out of hours emergencies

 

Call: 0345 60 80 191 and select option 2 to connect to the Adult Social Care Emergency Duty Service.

Learn about contacting with BSL

East Sussex Direct Payments toolkit

Click here for the East Sussex Pay Day Timesheet Schedule

Click here for the East Sussex 4 Weekly Timesheet

Care and support providers in East Sussex – you are invited:

Do you provide care in people’s homes or out in the community?

Join East Sussex County Council for a free drop-in networking event in Uckfield designed to support care and support providers.

📅 Tuesday 14 October 2025
🕚 11am – 2pm (drop in anytime, stay as long as you like)
📍 The Civic Centre, Uckfield, TN22 1AE

At this event you can:

✔️ Meet East Sussex County Council teams and partner organisations offering advice and resources

✔️ Access guidance to help grow your business and strengthen the support you give to clients

✔️ Network with other providers and share information about your services

✔️ Learn about training, funding, and local initiatives that could benefit you

Who will be there?

You will have the chance to connect with a wide range of organisations, including:

  • Age UK East Sussex
  • British Red Cross
  • Citizen’s Advice Bureau
  • Independent Lives
  • Sussex Chamber of Commerce
  • Job Centre Plus
    …and many more. (Full list available on the booking page — more organisations are joining every day!)

Whether you are just beginning or have years of experience, this event is designed to help you succeed.

(Shared on behalf of East Sussex County Council.)

Click here to book your free space