Direct Payment Support

Our friendly team of Independent Living Advisers (ILAs) provide information, advice and help with using Direct Payments to promote independent living.

Their wide range of experience both in living with disabilities and using Direct Payments means that they are well placed to provide valuable peer support and to assist with a wide range of queries.

Image showing two ladies sitting at a table with coffee and a laptop. Image from Pexels (Photographer - Cliff Booth)

“ The adviser has been really thorough, really helpful. ”

“ The adviser was really good, he really knew his stuff. ”

“ The adviser gave me a lot of support. ”

What are Direct Payments?

They are cash payments made to individuals by Surrey County Council in place of social care services. They are designed to give people greater independence by enabling them to have control over the support they receive.

Different people need different things and the money is for you to buy the particular support you need, so you can live the life you want. Direct Payments can be used to pay for anything that meets your assessed needs, including:

help with your personal care,
equipment for your home,
support at home or at work,
support to do things during the day or evening, and
support to have a break from caring.

You don’t have to have all your support via a Direct Payment. You can ask Surrey County Council to provide some of it and have a Direct Payment for the rest.

Who can receive Direct Payments?

Surrey County Council can make Direct Payments to people who are assessed as needing social care and support. This includes:

older people needing community care services,
disabled people,
people with mental health conditions,
people with parental responsibility for a disabled child
carers who are caring for a disabled adult, and
adults and children assessed by the NHS as needing continuing health care services.

How can SILC help me with my Direct Payment?

We have nearly 25 years’ experience in advising people about using Direct Payments. So, if you are considering taking one on then we can certainly help you with:

Discussing Direct Payments in more detail: what they can be used for, and how they are best managed.
Setting up and managing your Direct Payment, including making sure that you understand fully what responsibilities are involved.
Recruiting and employing a Personal Assistant (PA), including in areas such as training, payroll and pension schemes.
Completing DBS and reference checks for your PA.

How do I access SILC's support?

When you agree to a Direct Payment, you should be referred to SILC by your Surrey County Council practitioner. If you aren’t, you can contact us directly and we will ensure the referral is made.

Once you have been referred, we will discuss with you exactly what support you need and will help you to make the most of your Direct Payment. You will be in full control of how it is ultimately used.