Personalisation and Direct
Payments
At the minute people can choose to have a 'Direct Payment'
instead of a service from Adult Social Services. But the
Government wants to give people more choice and control through
'Personalisation'. You can find out more about Direct
Payments and Personalisation below.
Direct Payments
The Direct Payments scheme is when Blackburn with Darwen
Borough Council gives you money to buy the support you need.
You can choose and buy your own support. You become the boss
of your own support. This gives you more choice and control
in your life.
If you already get help from Social Services you can choose to have
a Direct Payment.
If you choose to have a Direct Payment the money will be paid into
you or your agent's bank account. You can get help to arrange your
money.
What can I use Direct Payments for?
The Direct Payment Scheme can help you buy support to do
every day tasks, such as:
- Cooking
- Shopping
- Getting washed and dressed
- Help at College or University
- Help getting to work or at work
You can use an agency or employ a personal assistant; this means
you become an employer. You can choose both options if you
like.
Your Care Manager can help you decide what help you need and how
you can use the Direct Payment Scheme to meet your needs.
Is Direct Payments right for me?
The Direct Payments scheme gives you more control and
choice with the support you need. It will improve your
wellbeing and confidence.
It gives you the right to choose who meets your support needs, and
when and where they support you.
All people using Blackburn with Darwen Direct Payments Scheme are
welcome to join The Peer Support Group. This is where you can meet
up with other people who get Direct Payments. Lots of people
find this a good way of meeting friends and learning more about
Direct Payments and how Direct Payments can be used.
How can I find out more about Direct Payments?
You can talk to your Care Manager or The Direct Payments
Team who will help you decide if you would like to get Direct
Payments.
You can contact the Direct Payments Team on (01254) 587240 or you
can e-mail direct.payments@blackburn.gov.uk
What is Personalisation?
Personalisation is a new way to think about how people get
more choice and control over their life.
Personalisation uses a system called 'Self Directed
Support'. Self Directed Support helps you take more control
over your life.
Instead of social services deciding what support is best for
you, you get to choose how your support needs will be met.
You get an amount of money to spend on support, and you decide how
to spend it. You are at the centre of the care and support
planning process.
How does Self Directed Support work?
You have an assessment and find out how much you can get
to pay for your support. This is called your 'Personal Budget'.
You make a 'Support Plan' which tells us how you want the money
to be spent - you can get help with this if you need it.
Your Support Plan tells us how much control you want to
have. It also tells us who will support you, when this will
be and what they will be supporting you with. You can arrange
your support yourself or you can have help with this.
You then get on with living your life. You will need to
tell us at your review if you are achieving your goals.
More information
Click
here to download the 'easy guide to being in control of your
support' leaflet
In Control and Me, the joint In Control and MENCAP project, has
produced 25 fact sheets to help you understand self directed
support. There are also audio versions of its first 25 fact
sheets.
Click here to see the list of fact
sheets.
Click here to see the list of audio versions of the
fact sheets.
For more information about Personalisation and Self Directed
Support, please contact us.
