Legal Update: Legal Q&A - Disability-related financial support
Colin Hamilton
Tuesday, February 17, 2015
Q: I work with a 17-year-old young person who has a disability. Can she receive direct payments from her local authority for social care services?
A: Direct payments are monetary payments made by a local authority to a child or young person with an Education, Health and Social Care Plan (ECHP) as an alternative to direct provision of services.
A disabled young person aged 16 or 17 can receive these payments directly, rather than through their parents or carers, as long as they are considered "competent" to organise their own care. Anyone who is currently in receipt of services from a local authority may be able to request direct payments.
Direct payments can be used to fund various services. Young people aged 16 and 17 can use the payments to purchase equipment necessary to meet their needs as set out in a local authority assessment.
It may also be possible for them to use the payments to employ someone who can assist with their care. However, they can't be used to employ someone who is already resident in their house, for example, a parent or sibling, unless that person has been specifically employed as a live-in care assistant.
The local authority should be able to provide more information as to how young people can apply for direct payments.
Do you have any questions?
Call the Child Law Advice Line on 08088 020 008
Or visit www.childrenslegalcentre.com
For free advice on issues relating to migrant children call 0207 636 8505