Help with managing Direct Payments

What types of help are available?

If you receive a Direct Payment you do not have to manage this on your own, you can have as little or as much help as you need to be sure that your Direct Payment can be used to support you in the way that you need. The worker who is helping you will discuss the support you might need and how best to organise this based on your situation and preferences. The help you can ask for includes:

  • help to find and to organise your support
  • help to manage the Direct Payment money (invoices and receipts)
  • making payments on your behalf
  • keeping track of what’s left in your budget
  • keeping records
  • giving information to the council to show how you have been spending your Direct Payment

Informal help

You can arrange to have help from your family or friends, this can be occasional or ongoing help.

Your Direct Payment is paid to you and you manage this money. You decide how to use your Direct Payments and tell the person(s) helping you what things you want them to help with or to do on your behalf.

Nominated Person Arrangement

You can choose (nominate) someone to deal with your Direct Payments on your behalf, your Direct Payment can be paid to the Nominated Person but they must only spend it how you instruct them.

  • This is a formal arrangement and the Nominated Person will need to sign an agreement with the Council
  • The Nominated Person can be a family member, a friend or anyone else you choose provided the Council agrees they are suitable
  • If you do not have someone to do this the Council may be able to arrange this help for you (through a contracted support service ‘holding account’).

Please note: Prior to The Care Act 2014 the role of a Nominated Person was known as a Third Party.

Authorised Person Arrangement - for people without mental capacity

If someone doesn't have the mental capacity to request a Direct Payment it is possible for an “Authorised Person" to request the Direct Payment and take on responsibility for them. This is a formal arrangement and the Authorised Person will need to sign an agreement with the Council.  The Direct Payment will be paid to the Authorised Person who must:

  • act in the best interests of the person who lacks capacity
  • make sure that the person has as much input as possible into decisions that affect them
  • let social services know as soon as possible if it seems that the person might be regaining the mental capacity to make their own decisions

The Authorised Person can be someone the person concerned gave Lasting Power of Attorney over their affairs before they lost capacity, or a Deputy appointed by the Court of Protection to act in their best interest. If there is no attorney or deputy, or they do not want to act as the Authorised Person, someone else may be considered. Usually this is a family member or a friend or  it can be a professional person like a solicitor.

Please note: Prior to the Care Act 2014, the role of an Authorised Person was known as Suitable Person.

Information and advice from a Direct Payment Support Organisation (local or national)

There are many organisations which offer help and information to people receiving or helping with Direct Payments (including people who are giving informal help, Nominated Persons and Authorised Persons).

Local support arrangement:

The council has an arrangement with a local organisation to provide support to people who receive Direct Payments and the worker who is helping you will talk with you about how this support service can help you and will make sure that you are put in touch with the appropriate part of the support service.

National based sources of information include:

Adult Services - Adult Social Care ACCESS Team

Adult Social Care ACCESS Team contact information

Monday to Friday 8:45am - 5:00pm, Civic, 1 Saxon Gate East, Central Milton Keynes MK9 3EJ