Direct Payments
Direct Payments enable people to receive money in lieu of mental health services for social support/activity. The money can then be used by each person to meet their own needs in ways that they have chosen, giving them the flexibility to look beyond off the peg service solutions for housing, employment, education and leisure activities as well as for personal assistance/support to meet their assessed needs.
Direct Payments enable people to receive money in lieu of mental health services for social support/activity. The money can then be used by each person to meet their own needs in ways that they have chosen, giving them the flexibility to look beyond off the peg service solutions for housing, employment, education and leisure activities as well as for personal assistance/support to meet their assessed needs.
This is providing new opportunities for independent living, social inclusion and enhanced self-esteem. It has been mandatory to offer direct payments to all people who are eligible to receive them since April 2003, but their use within mental health services remains low. There are also very large variations in use between local authority areas.
As the choice of direct payments in lieu of a mental health service to meet social needs is a legal entitlement for a large number of people who use mental health services, direct payments need to become a standard option within the Care Programme Approach. Service users, carers, statutory and voluntary sector staff, all have a role to play in achieving this. For more information please visit the national Direct Payments website by clicking here