Allo. Yesterday I had to pay a bill which was formerly paid by my local council.
I am in receipt of Direct Payments. This money pays for 3 carers who make my life liveable. Without this allowance I doubt my hubby would cope alone in looking after me, as I am so dependent on personal care from others and he suffers quite badly from rheumatoid arthritis. He does have to put me to bed and toilet me when carers arent with me.
In order to pay 2 of my carers (1 is self employed and therefore exempt from the rules governing these 2), I phone their hours in each month, to a firm who does the Payroll services.
My local council has decided they will no longer pay for these services and that it has now to be paid for out of my Direct Payment allowance.
This is costing £300 a year…meaning I will have £300 less to pay for my care. I have not yet worked out how to do this, but at some point I will have to.
This amount multiplied by however many people in my area receiving DPs, must amount to a massive sum. Hence a damn good saving for the council.
Anyone else had the same thing happen to them?
pollx
Yes i have been paying for my payroll to be done now for over a year i think. I pay 30.00 a month for my payroll services. I just pay it through direct debit. I have enough in my budget to still pay my care workers and my insurance, and this payroll services. I am not sure how but I do lol… The thing is the council are still paying for it as its incorporated in your DP allowance. Usually i have money left over each year which they are entitled to take back but its just 300.00 less they can take back.
All they are saving is the cost for actually paying the services themselves which I cant see would have cost them much in the grand scheme of things.
This new bill wasnt ever included in my total amount, so I am losing it.
pollx
When is your next assessment? I have one every year, and thats when mine was included.
We don’t get a yearly assessment, only when we feel we have got worse and ask for more help. I won’t be doing that as they have to do a full review of everything .The last twice I was told I could lose out, so I don’t want that worry . I’ll pay the bill.
Poll
I’ve been on debt payments for a couple of years now and I just presumed that you had to work this cost into your budget.
I did enquire about a review but was told I should keep my powder dry and say nothing at moment as they are looking to make cuts.
On a similar subject of we supposed to pay pension contributions for our PAs from our budget?
Gosh your lucky then, here i have had 3 reviews. I have had DP for over 6 years now. I had the one review when the limit went down and they were talking about people loosing them, and i didnt. Year ago another one and the lady helped me with support for some councelling as well.
Then just had ANOTHER one, and they supported EXTRA hours for me. I never requested review they do them in my area once a year they are very strict on that here in Gloucester anyway. I have never lost hours, actually gained them. Also my money for PA has gone up, and also I factor in my budget the amount to pay for the payroll.
I am so lucky blessed really as lots of people have lost their DP.
Strange how different areas seem to work, i thought it was the norm to have reviews. I have my money secure now for a year.
I didnt know we had to pay pension contributions. My PA well i dont get that many hours i have only 10 hours a week and i have 2 PA. They wouldnt get pension i dont think they would warrant it under part time. No one has ever said anyway.
I had a letter from the pensions people telling me about the new employer contributions for PAs. Your PAs have to earn over 10k before this happens. Mine dont.
pollx