Information for Carers
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How Direct Payments Can Be Useful For Carers
Direct Payments can be helpful for carers in two ways. Carers can receive money in their own right to buy support and assistance to help them continue being a carer, and the people they care for can also receive Direct Payments to help with their own care needs.
A carer’s Direct Payment is money provided to you by the Council to buy services, help or support to help you in your role as a carer. The money from Direct Payments is not extra income or benefit and it will not be taken into account as income for state benefits or income tax.
Carers have used the money from Direct Payments to buy substitute care to:
- Have a short break away or just to meet up with friends and family on a regular basis.
- Take driving lessons to help to make their caring role easier.
- Take a useful or interesting training or leisure course, perhaps in first aid, moving and assisting or using a computer.
- Go to a gym to promote and protect their own health and wellbeing.
- Pursue hobbies and interests.
Other Circumstances Where Direct Payments Could Help
There are many other circumstances where Direct Payments could help you or the person you care for:- You may be exhausted or be finding certain caring tasks difficult.
- Your own circumstances may have changed.
- You may be in poor health or caring may be affecting your work.
- You might find it difficult finding time for other family commitments.
- The illness or condition of the person you care for may have worsened.
- Some of the tasks you have to do are not appropriate or would be better done by someone else. For example, a mother may not want her son to bathe her.
What's Involved?
To obtain a carer’s Direct Payment you must be providing regular and substantial care to the person you are caring for, and they themselves must have eligible needs for care to be provided by Durham County Council whether they choose to have help from someone other than you or not.
A carer's assessment will need to be carried out by a social worker or care co-ordinator to determine what support you need and what Direct Payments could do for you.
If you don’t already have a social worker or care co-ordinator, ask for a carer’s assessment by contacting Durham County Council's Social Care Direct team.
Links to other Durham County Council Web Pages You may Find Useful
- Being a carer
- Carers assessment
- Benefits for carers
- Local carers centres
- Health and Social Care - Carers Strategy 2005 - 2008
Links to External Organisations and Information You may Find Useful
- Carers UK Carers UK was set up by carers themselves and to this day is still a member led organisation representing the voices of carers. They publish a booklet called 'Direct Payments for Carers' which you can order from their publications page at www.carersuk.org/Information/Orderpublications
- Caring about Carers This website is aimed at professionals who work with carers. If you are a carers lead or other health and social care professional working with carers you will find the information on this site of interest. The site contains Government guidance and regulations affecting carers and details of the Carers Grant.
- Princess Royal Trust for Carers The Princess Royal Trust for Carers is the largest provider of comprehensive carers support services in the UK. The Trust currently provides quality information, advice and support services to 290,000 carers, including just over 15,000 young carers.
Download this information
Direct Payments for Carers Factsheet.pdf (2 pages, 100kb)
You will need Adobe Acrobat Reader to view this information.
Publication date: August 2007
Contact: Marketing Team, Adult and Community Services
Tel: 0191 370 8825
