Direct Payments are payments made to a disabled person (or a representative of their choosing) into a bank account or prepaid card. These payments are made in advance, usually every four weeks. They enable people to purchase and arrange their own support to meet their needs. The aim of direct payments is to give people more choice, greater flexibility and more control over the support they get.

People can use their direct payments to choose how to have their care provided. Many people choose a Personal Assistant (PA) as a solution to their care needs. Some choose to use a care agency.

Direct Payments can be made to people of all ages. For children and young people under 16, payments are made to an adult who has parental responsibility.

You can receive Direct Payments if:

• You have been assessed as needing social care services to support you with daily living
• You have a disability with social care needs
• You consent to receiving a Direct Payment and either you or your representative can manage the payment

You can only receive a Direct Payment if Doncaster Council has assessed you as needing support to live independently.

During the assessment, they will determine:

• The estimated cost of your required care, which correlates with your Direct Payment.
• Whether you require financial assistance.

A member of Doncaster Council’s Adult Social Care and Support team would be more than happy to talk to you about Direct Payments and access support needs.

You can get in touch by visiting: https://www.doncaster.gov.uk/doitonline/contact-adult-social-care

Phone: 01302 737391  (between 8:30 am and 5 pm, Monday to Friday)

If you, or someone on your behalf (a representative) apply for care and support Doncaster Council will offer you a financial assessment to check whether you are eligible for any financial help from the council towards the costs of your social care and support.

The financial assessment uses the legislation and guidance produced by the Department of Health for this purpose.

If you take up the offer of a financial assessment, Doncaster Council will need to know about your income including things such as pensions and any other state benefits you claim, savings, investments, land and property. Doncaster Council will also offer you a welfare benefits check to make sure you are receiving all the benefits you are able to apply for.

If you do not want a financial assessment it will be assumed  by Doncaster Council that you are able to pay for your care in full and you will not receive any financial help towards your care fees.

After your financial assessment is completed, Doncaster Council will let you know how much (if any) financial assistance you are eligible for and how much of your own money you will need to contribute, towards the cost of your care.

The financial assessment will take into account:

• your current income – this includes any earnings, state pension, works pension and any benefits you receive
• your ‘assets’ – this includes things such as savings, investments, land and property

For more information about Financial Assessments for Care and Support, contact the Doncaster Council Finance Assessment Team:

Telephone: 01302 735336
Email: FinAssess1@doncaster.gov.uk

Write to Doncaster Council
Doncaster Council
Financial Assessment Team
Civic Office, Waterdale
Doncaster, DN1 3BU

In person
Civic Office Customer Service Centre, Waterdale
Doncaster, DN1 3BU

Opening hours:
Monday to Friday
8:30am – 5:00pm

Doncaster Council Financial Assessments Fact Sheet

Personal budgets and personalisation allow people who need support to have more choice and control about how they are provided.

Doncaster Council has been an “early adopter” of social care personal budgets. Where parents have been assessed as needing a short break, the arrangements for short breaks have been increasingly personalised and this often includes the use of direct payments. It will continue to be the case that where there is an assessed need for a short break or other social care need that this will still be provided under the Children’s Act 1989 and associated regulations and this will usually be within a personal budget and in many cases using direct payments. These can still be accessed whether there is an Education, Health and Care Plan or not. The Children and Families Act 2014 introduces personal budgets across Education and Health, which can be combined with social care personal budgets.

The wider scope of a personal budget will only be available where an Education, Health and Care Plan is in place. Personal budgets will not be appropriate for every child with a disability. All provision will be on the basis of assessed need.

Where it is agreed that the outcomes associated with such assessed needs may be made by means of personal budgets, including direct payments, then a personal budget will be put in place.

It should be noted that personal budgets are also available in Adult Social Care therefore 18 – 25 year olds may continue to have a free-standing Adult social care personal budget but this could be aligned into a wider personal budget IF the young adult has an Education, Health and Care Plan.

For further information please contact Doncaster Council’s team using the details below: 

• Telephone: 01302 737448
• Email: CWB@doncaster.gov.uk

1. Submit your vacancy request here

2. Vacancy sent to Purple Match Hertfordshire register

3. PA’s on register submit interest

4. Interested PA profiles sent directly to you

5. Arrange interviews/meets directly with PA

6. Additional secure PA information sent once job offer is made
   e.g., NI number, date of birth, gender, completed document checks

Employed PA (PAYE)

• The Employer (direct payment holder) provides a contract that details the terms and conditions of employment including PA benefits and disciplinary procedures.
• The PA must perform their work personally and cannot send someone else to do this.
  The Employer (direct payment holder) self directs the support they wish to receive from the PA in line with their care and support plan.
• The PA is paid through Pay As You Earn (PAYE) and National Insurance payments will be made on their behalf by the PA Employer.
• The PA will receive statutory benefits, such as statutory sick pay.
  The Employer (direct payment holder) must enrol eligible PA’s into a pension scheme and provide holiday pay.
• The Employer (direct payment holder) will take out Employers Liability Insurance which can be paid for from the direct payments.

Self Employed PA

• Responsibility of the person receiving support to check self-employed status.
• The self-employed PA and the person receiving support mutually agreeing terms & conditions and how support is provided – Purple can provide a template Contract for Services.
• If determined not self-employed, then there may be financial liability (i.e. a Tax liability) for the person receiving support and the PA.
• Self-employed PA’s will have own Unique Tax Reference (UTR) number from HMRCs.
• There is an initial period, during which sole traders may not yet have a UTR number.
• The PA is not entitled to sick or holiday pay which may mean the person receiving support can pay the PA a higher hourly rate.
• Less administration as self-employed PA’s are responsible to pay their own Tax, NI, Pension and organise their own liability insurance. It’s advisable to ask for a copy this insurance.

Click here for the Doncaster introduction to Purple DPSS

Click here for the Doncaster 4 Weekly Timesheet

Click here for the Doncaster Monthly Timesheet

Click here for the Doncaster Pay Day Invoice Schedule

Click here for the Payroll Group – MAN Pay Day Timesheet Schedule

Click here for the Doncaster Payroll Group – MA1 Pay Day Timesheet Schedule

Click here for the Doncaster Payroll Group – MA2 Pay Day Timesheet Schedule

Click here for the Doncaster Payroll Group – MA3 Pay Day Timesheet Schedule

Click here for the Doncaster Payroll Group – MA4 Pay Day Timesheet Schedule

Click here for the Doncaster Customer agreement

Click here for the Doncaster (Customer) employer registration

Click here for the Doncaster Managed Account and Payroll starter pack

Click here for a New PA / Carer Employee form

Click here for the Doncaster starter checklist

Click here for the Doncaster authorising your agent form