We have an in-house direct payments team who can offer support to individuals that choose a direct payment.
If you are in the process of setting up a new direct payment, you will be allocated a Direct Payments Advisor who will assist you with any queries you may have and guide you through the process.
Once your direct payment is up and running, you can contact a Duty Direct Payments Advisor on 01942 489579 or complete our online contact form. The Duty Direct Payment Advisor is available Monday to Friday 9am to 5pm.
The direct payments team can help you with:
- Paperwork: You will have to keep a record of how you spend the money, but we will provide you with sample forms which have been designed to be clear and straightforward
- Choosing an agency: You can purchase support from an agency that is right for you
- Payroll service: If you employ a personal assistant (PA), they may have to pay tax and national insurance on their wages. The payroll service can work this out for you and send you a payslip, so you know how much to pay your assistant. Some people may want to learn how to do this themselves
- Employer and Public Liability Insurance: If you employ someone, you must have this insurance. This is paid for from your personal budget and your Direct Payments Advisor will tell you how to arrange it
- Personal assistant queries: Your Employer and Public Liability insurance provider will assist you with any difficulties or queries you may have regarding your personal assistant
- Recruiting a personal assistant: Wigan and Leigh Embrace (external link) can assist people who decide to employ their own carers/personal assistants. They can help you to advertise, interview, prepare a job description, and take up references
- Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS): The direct payment team will support you by arranging a DBS check to help you make safer recruitment decisions by providing information about an individual’s criminal history. If you would like more information about the DBS checks, you can find this by visiting Disclosure and Barring Service - GOV.UK
- Arranging training for your personal assistants: The direct payment team can provide you with information regarding the training budget that is available if you recruit personal assistants. The direct payment team can arrange various e-learning courses for the employer and personal assistants. A full list of courses can be found on our Supporting Documentation webpage. We can also link you in with Skills for Care Support for individual employers and PAs who have resources and information for individual employers and personal assistants.