What is Direct Payments and the Suitable Person Service?

What is Direct Payments?

If you or someone you care for get help from social services, you may be able to apply for Direct Payments.

The Direct Payment is then used to allow yourself or someone you care for to receive money which can go towards support they may not have access to at the moment. Whether that’s employing a Personal Assistant to help with tasks/socialisation, or having a Care Agency to assistance with cleaning home/medication calls.

Click to apply: Apply for direct payments – GOV.UK

How is the Suitable Person Service Involved?

The Suitable Person Service has a contract with NPT local authority and for those that would like to receive a Direct Payment but are unable to due to not having anyone to manage it, the Suitable Person Service would.

Our service acts on behalf of people receiving a Direct Payment, employing Personal Assistants (PA/s) to meet the outcomes yourself or someone needs. The Personal Assistants can support with all different things, such as, attending activities in the community, food shopping, visiting someone, or just general socialisation. In some cases, our PAs may also be trained to support with prompting/ administering medication.

Our service ensures all PAs are suited to the client and have relevant training. We also manage payroll and deal HR situations.

If you’re interested in our service and or are in need of it, please contact your local authority and ask them about us. If you come under NPT Direct Payments, we can only accept referrals through them.

If you come under another local authority, give us a call and we may be able to see what we can do for you. Alternatively, you can still inform social work/the council about our service.

We can be contacted on 01639 812528 – Option 2 or Email us dpteam@mmitwc.co.uk.