Welfare Reform on the Web (May 2005): Social Care - UK - Community Care

MAKING A DIFFERENCE: DIRECT PAYMENTS

Cabinet Office and the Department of Health

London: 2005

Report aims to promote the use of direct payments by adults in need of social care and to reduce the bureaucracy associated with accessing them. Recommendations include:

• enabling direct payments users to check employees against the Protection of Vulnerable Adults (POVA) list;
• making it easier for direct payments users to open bank accounts;
• setting up an independent telephone helpline;
• provision of plain English information packs by the Inland Revenue and local authorities;
• training for social care staff in promotion of direct payments