Vale - Direct Payments

Vale of Glamorgan Direct Payments Scheme

The Vale of Glamorgan Council is committed to providing Direct Payments to everyone who is eligible to receive them. Support is available to manage Direct Payments via an independent support organisation. The use of Independent User Trusts and Advocacy will also be considered to help people with learning difficulties access Direct Payments. There are sometimes issues around consent, but this will be addressed positively on an individual basis.

For more information contact:

Direct Payments Development Officer
Vale of Glamorgan Council
Community Services
Dock Office
Subway Road
Barry CF63 4RT
Tel: 01446 704 685
Email: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
Web: www.valeofglamorgan.gov.uk

The Vale of Glamorgan Council has commissioned an independent support organisation who are available to provide information, advice and support to people wishing to access Direct Payments and provide ongoing support.

For further information contact:

Dewis Centre for Independent Living
Tel: 01446 704685
Web: www.dewiscil.org.uk

Direct payments may be used to pay for all services a person receives or just certain ones that you may choose to opt for i.e. you may use a day service provided by the local authority of a service provider for certain days of the week and contract directly on other days- you should seek advice on this and not be put off from developing a package that is individualised to suit your relatives’ unique needs.

Direct Payments for carers

The Carers and Disabled Children Act 2000 gives local authorities powers to offer assistance to anyone who provides regular and substantial care to someone who might need community care services. Carers also have rights to an assessment of needs in their own right as well as being included in the service users local authority needs assessment.

A local authority may decide that a person requires services because they provide, or intend to provide, a substantial amount of care on a regular basis for someone aged 18 or over. Carers (but not employees, persons working under contract or volunteers for a voluntary organisation) may obtain Direct Payments in respect of their own assessed needs for services as carers.

The types of help that can be given are wide-ranging and not limited to community care services. For example, if the person cared for refuses to accept help from anyone but a relative, the local authority might provide the relative with help with housework so that they had free time to assist the person who needed help.

The carer does not need to live in the same household as the person cared for, and they do not need to be actually receiving, or to have been assessed as needing a community care service.

Carers Wales provide information on all aspects of carers’ rights. For further information contact:

Carers Wales
River House
Ynys Bridge Court
Cardiff CF15 9SS
Tel: 029 2081 1370
Carers UK’s Adviceline on 0808 808 7777
The line is open 10 -12 and 2 - 4 on Wednesdays and Thursdays only.