direct payments / self directed support / adult social care assessments

[skater_kat]

hi all.

i am 34 yo female living independently. i have spent the last 4 months in the process of seeking direct payments. it has been very difficult and a constant srtuggle with mental health services. has anyone as an independent adult successfully obtained direct payments, what worked for you? my application just got refused even thought i have been classed as in 'substanital' need under the FACS rating. i've got a solicitor now but it is all so hard and stressful.

[smiley1590]

i had direct payments for NAS support i recieved i had keep proof of receit records and also had a form from the government which was lengthly and complicated which confused and frustrated the amount of detail i had to give i found so hard to understand i explained to NAS in great detail how i couldn't do direct payments as i have dyspraxia and struggle greatly with maths sums anything involving money etc made my anxiety stress levels high!

was making me ill not great system invented for someone witth AS and dyspraxia! what a joke! they oviously don't get it! trying make them see! they need a easier system and not expect us to keep records! or book keep! as like running your own business what they asking me to do! i got sick of it fed up of paperwork! that come with direct payments gave up in the end! couldn't be doing with it! such stupid system my parents were angry annoyed and couldn't see the point of giving me a system i couldn't handle work or understand the concept of it!

 

XKLX

[Tally]

There are some companies which will help you manage your paperwork, etc, at cost price. You should be able to get Direct Payments to cover these costs.

[Special_talent123]

i lost my direct payments when i had to loose being under social services.

 

But the system is confusing, what wasnt explained to me was that the client contributon towards direct payments was not a top up. When i had first got them i thought that my contribution were a top up, and got me into debt cos they put my money from 24 a week to 78 of me contributing to the cost of direct payments which got me extremely in debt. and a company dealt with direct payments rather than myself but it had an admin cost.

 

From my point of view that no one seems to understand direct payments even the social workers when we ask them the same question they dont know the answer.

 

also u need another bank account set up where it all goes in and nothing else, and social services watch what we are spending we are not allowed to spend it say on a holiday, but we can spend it on support worker to take on holiday.

Edited August 17, 2011 by Special_talent123