Direct payments

[susan_180412]

Can the council reduce their contribution to less than what it was 3 years ago? Mums needs have not changed - we have been perfectly happy with the care agency we use - this week the council emailed me to say from April 1st 2022 (already been and gone) their contributions would reduce by over £200 a week expecting us to makeup the shortfall which we can't. Mum pays a small contribution with the council making up the rest of monies. Can I challenge this? Mum has 4 calls a day (14hrs in total week for personal care). Even if we just use our current agency for morning and bedtime calls its going to be a problem finding someone else to pick up the lunch/tea calls with the amount left in budget. A lot of the agencies we've called were even more expensive that who we currently use.

[Breezey]

That's awful Susan
I don't know but someone might know and have answers or suggestions.
Have you google searched for any information on this on a national basis an on your county council and local council basis? have you tried searching your local newspaper?
They might have information about it.
Have you challenged them asking on what basis because nothing has changed?
Good luck, I hope you can get it reinstated.

[bowlingbun]

They should not reduce payments unless first doing a new Needs Assessment showing her needs have reduced.
Go to the LA website, search for Adults social Care Complaints. Write a short and sweet letter asking why they have been reduced. Your assessed financial contribution should cover all her care.

[Charles_2112]

First of all they can't change the package (direct payment) in this case without a new Needs Assessment. There's a possibility someone spoke to your Mum without your knowing: people often don't like to discuss how bad their problems are with strangers over the phone, for example. They would treat such a call as a new assessment. So that's the first thing to check.

Second, they cannot write to you today and tell you that a payment will reduce in the past. That is absolutely not legal. Normally you should receive a letter by mail, but assuming the email is genuine, there is even less excuse for sending it late.

I suggest you go to your local councillor for help with this, but first contact the Helpline on 0808 808 7777 - it's open 9-6pm Monday to Friday.

[susan_180412]

They should not reduce payments unless first doing a new Needs Assessment showing her needs have reduced.
Go to the LA website, search for Adults social Care Complaints. Write a short and sweet letter asking why they have been reduced. Your assessed financial contribution should cover all her care.

Thank you I've done exactly the above and see what happens.

[amitabh_2207]

Direct Payment is the electronic transfer of funds to make payments – whether sending or receiving. Direct Payment allows consumers to pay their bills or tuition, donate to a favorite charity, make a purchase, or send money to a friend or family member electronically from a checking or savings account.
Direct payments allow you to receive cash payments from your local authority instead of care services. This can give you much more flexibility and greater control of your support package.

[Charles_2112]

Direct Payment is the electronic transfer of funds to make payments – whether sending or receiving. Direct Payment allows consumers to pay their bills or tuition, donate to a favorite charity, make a purchase, or send money to a friend or family member electronically from a checking or savings account.
Direct payments allow you to receive cash payments from your local authority instead of care services. This can give you much more flexibility and greater control of your support package.

The above is a direct cut and paste from an American Direct Payments website. It does not reflect the law here in the UK and cut and pasting from other sites without attribution is poor etiquette. In this case, it actually proposes what would be illegal behaviour in the UK.