Direct payments

From the section: Paying for care

In this section:

Direct payments

This page explains what direct payments are, who can get them and what they can be used for. It also explains the process for applying for a direct payment.

If you already receive direct payments and are looking for help to manage them, please visit our Managing direct payments page.

What are direct payments?

Direct payments are a way for you to have control over your care and support personal budget.

Solihull Council will make payments directly to you so that you can buy the care and support you need, rather than the Council arranging it for you.

Direct payments are flexible. You can choose the services you want, if you are able to show how they meet your assessed needs.

Can I get direct payments?

If we have agreed in an assessment that you are eligible for social care support, and you meet the financial criteria, then you should be able to have direct payments.

You can use our online contribution calculator to see if you’re likely to be financially eligible.

What can I use direct payments for?

You can use direct payments to pay for help you need, based on your care plan. For example, you could:

  • employ someone to provide care for you
  • attend day opportunities, lunch clubs, sports activities or access other community activities
  • give your unpaid carer(s) a break from their caring responsibilities
  • pay for respite care

Read how people are using direct payments in Solihull

Janet’s direct payment enables her to live at home with her family

Janet receives a direct payment (managed by a support service). She has dementia and lacks capacity but previously expressed a wish to remain living at home with her daughter and family rather than moving into a nursing home. Using the direct payment and equipment in place, Janet has been able to do this.

Her daughter employs personal assistants and a care agency to provide care and support as well as social interaction for mum when her family is working. Janet also receives a respite service to enable her main carer to have a break away from home.

Michael’s direct payment enables him to receive the care and social interaction he needs

Michael receives a direct payment and his wife manages the account. He is anxious and won’t accept support from a formal care service. Using his direct payment he has employed a personal assistant enabling him to receive the care support he needs at home and to access his local community. Michael’s personal assistant also supports him to go shopping, use the local library and have lunch out.

Pamela’s direct payment enables her to interact socially and access her local community safely

Pamela receives a direct payment and manages her own account with support from a company which advises her on payroll.  She has mobility difficulties which impacts her ability to access community activities. Pamela employs a personal assistant to support her to go to luncheon clubs and to the leisure centre for a swim, which helps her to maintain her mobility.

Nigel uses a carers’ one-off direct payment to maintain his mental health and wellbeing

Nigel receives a carers’ one-off direct payment. He visits his mother every day to provide support in addition to the support they are receiving from formal carers who visit his mother’s home. Nigel uses his carers’ one-off payment to buy a yearly gym membership.

How to apply for a direct payment

Step 1: contact Adult Social Care

Please contact our Adult Social Care team and talk to one of our advisers.  You can:

Or if you prefer, you can complete an online self-assessment.

Step 2: initial assessment

If you haven’t completed an online self-assessment, we will carry out an initial assessment of your needs. This is a conversation with you to establish if a full care act assessment is needed.

Step 3: Care Act assessment

A social care practitioner will complete a full Care Act assessment with you to see if you are eligible for adult social care services.

Step 4: Financial assessment

A financial assessment helps us to work out how much you can afford to pay towards the cost of your care and support.

Step 5: Care and support planning conversation

If you are eligible for adult social care, we will have a care and support planning conversation with you to identify how to best to meet your needs and outcomes. At this point we will explore direct payments as a possible option to meet some or all of your required outcomes.