Help with Managing Direct Payments

People receiving a Direct Payment can have as much help they need from the support team at Kingston Centre for Independent Living as they arrange their services. There is no maximum or minimum amount of a Direct Payment. Most disabled adults receiving Direct Payments use them to directly employ personal assistants, but there are lots of ways in which a Direct Payment could give you the opportunity to support your child in the way you want to.

Help from the support team at Kingston Centre for Independent Living

The team based in the Kingston Centre for Independent Living have been supporting disabled people to manage their Direct Payments since 1995. They provide a flexible service to individual Direct Payments recipients. The following are examples of the kind of help they provide.

They are able to help with all aspects of recruiting personal assistants and how to be a good employer.
They can help with wording and placing an advertisement, writing job descriptions and contacts of employment.
They can help with tax and National Insurance issues and other legal obligations.
They can provide resources such as an interview room.
They will ensure that all the costs of being an employer are reimbursed.
They facilitate peer support groups through the Personal Assistants Users Group and the Users' Network.
They offer information and training both on a one to one basis and in groups.
They run big events and get-togethers so that Direct Payments recipients can meet each other to share ideas and hear from other users.
They have developed close links with neighbouring boroughs' Direct Payments Schemes in order to share the benefits of experience and information.

Help from the Disabled Children's Team

They will regularly review of the care plan and needs assessment.
They will obtain the necessary Enhanced Disclosures from the Criminal Records Bureau.

Help with Support and Advice on using Direct Payments

You can count on support from members of the team at Kingston Centre for Independent Living and from the Disabled Children's Team. The two services work together closely in partnership to ensure that as Direct Payments are extended to more groups of people the support that they both offer is developed and continues to meet the needs all the services users.

The support team is made up of the Direct Payments Scheme Co-ordinator, Outreach Worker, and two Administrative Assistants

To find out more about Direct Payments

Contact Us:

The Direct Payments Co-Ordinator,
Kingston Centre for Independent Living,
River Reach,
31-35 High Street,
Kingston, Surrey KT1 1LF

Telephone: 020 8481 9603 (Voice and Minicom)