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

Implementing the Community Care (Direct Payments) Act: will the supply of personal assistants meet the demand and at what price?

P. Scourfield

Journal of Social Policy, vol.34, 2005, p.469-488

The Labour government is promoting the use of direct payments to enable disabled people to purchase the care they want and need, including the employment of personal assistants (PAs). Local councils now have a statutory duty to make direct payments. However, there is evidence that there may not be sufficient well-trained and competent PAs in the job market to meet raised demand. It is possible that expectations have been raised which cannot be met.