Direct payments

A direct payment is money we can give you to help you buy the care and support you need for your child, instead of us arranging the services for you.

What are direct payments?
A direct payment is money we can give you to help you buy the care and support you need for your child, instead of us arranging the services for you. The main advantage of direct payments is that they give you choice and control over your child’s plan. Once your child’s needs have been assessed and they are confirmed as being eligible for additional support due to a complex or critical disability, the council will decide how much money you can receive.

What are direct payments used for?
Direct payments are for you to arrange and manage your child’s care.

This could include:

• Employing a carer who does not live at the same address as you;
• Working with agencies that can provide different support such as developing social skills;
• Paying for activities that directly contribute to achieving the goals of the child;
• Paying for short breaks or respite care;
• Special transport.

The package offered is to support and encourage identified improvements and to assist in the achievement of goals for your child. Direct payments cannot be used to transfer money to your own personal account or for providing food and drink.

How do direct payments work?
A pre-payment card has been introduced to enable you to make payments more easily and conveniently. Birmingham Children’s Trust will load the agreed amount of money onto the card and you can then use the card like a bank card to pay for your services. You will be given full details about how this works. You will need to provide Birmingham Children’s Trust with information on how you have spent your direct payments. This will normally include providing bank statements and receipts at regular intervals.