Direct Payment

Riga

I was told today that I am unable to get direct payments as I receive ESA and DLA.  Is this correct information. Scope should have someone employed in their organisation to support people with cerebral palsy and know exactly what benefits/direct payments are available. Also, have an advocacy service to voice people who have to fight for support in their lives. Scope was brilliant in the past supporting people who have cerebral palsy in my area. I used to have a welfare officer that visited me in my home and she would work with me to find solutions.  

Chloe_Scope

Hi @Riga, I'm sorry you were unable to access direct payments. Was this after you had a needs assessment? Having ESA and DLA should not affect your ability to gain direct payments as this is down to the support that you require. 

Here is some information from Scope about direct payments.

These may also be useful:

• Eligibility for social care
• Needs assessment process
• Re-assessments and reviews

Scope still provides support for people with Cerebral Palsy. We have @Richard_Scope on the community who is the Cerebral Palsy specialist. 

There is still an emphasis of CP in our online advice and support which can be found here: https://www.scope.org.uk/advice-and-support/cerebral-palsy/

If there is anything else I can do to help then please do let me know

Richard_Scope

Hi @Riga
Good to meet you. ESA and DLA should not affect you receiving direct payments for your care. Who informed you that this was the case? Have you had a recent needs assessment? 
I am here alongside my colleagues to support you. We also have a free helpline (0808 800 3333) that you can call if you would like to speak to somebody over the telephone.

forgoodnesssake

In practical terms no-one from the local authority (who would be responsible for providing Direct Payments based on an assessment of need) can state that as a blanket rule ...because it does very much depend on how much support you are assessed as needing.  However you will be means tested and there are complicated calculations they use to work out how much you can be expected to pay towards you package of support, and they do take ESA and to an extent PiP into account...but you have to be left with enough to live on AND they shoudl take into account certain disability related extra expense you may have (which is very much what PiP is for).  There are national guidelines on this but every local authority can interpret them in their own way and so it can vary a bit, but it can never be a an absolute.." if you get those benefits you cannot have DPs".  Good luck