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Direct payments

A direct payment is a popular way of using your personal budget. Personal budget payments are made to you directly allowing you to buy your own support rather than having your local authority do this for you. The payment must only be spent on services that meet your care needs following an assessment with your social worker.

A Direct Payment cannot be used for things such as:

  • Clothes, food and savings
  • Permanent residential care
  • Employing someone who lives in the same home as you, unless there are special reasons for doing so and this has been agreed
  • Buying daily living equipment (if you need this, we will have assessed you and offer you free equipment)

People choosing a direct payment have flexibility with how to meet their assessed care needs. Each individual will have a support plan outlining how they will use their direct payment to meet their needs. Everyone’s support plan, showing how individual needs will be met will be tailored and unique to each individual. Some individuals may choose to employ their own personal assistant (PA) will so that they can employ their own personal assistant and the Direct Payment Support Service, delivered by Blue Sky Brokers, is available to help you with this.

Blue Sky Brokers are able to assist with:

  • Providing general information and advice about direct payments
  • Support if you choose to recruit a PA including guidance on all aspects of being a good employer and legal obligations and responsibilities
  • Support with choosing and using a care agency
  • Help with money management and keeping accurate records
  • Choosing a payroll services
  • Choosing a managed account service (if applicable)

If you would like more information on direct payment please contact:

If you would like to enquire about an assessment to understand your eligibility for care services please follow the below links:

Visit Salford Adult Social Care’s Information Hub for more detailed information

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