The Self-Directed Support Team at Sefton Council in Magdalen House, Bootle, handles all financial matters related to Direct Payments.
You need to keep track of how you spend your Direct Payment money as outlined in your Direct Payment agreement.
The purpose of reviewing your Direct Payment account is to ensure you get regular payments and that the money is spent on services agreed in your Support Plan. After the review of your direct payment account, you will get a copy of the review form and be informed of any missing paperwork or actions needed.
Your responsibilities include:
- Making sure your needs are met, and money is spent wisely..
- Being accountable for how the Direct Payment is spent, even if you have help managing the account.
- Regularly paying your assessed client contribution into the account.
- Providing all requested information.
- Staying within your budget, keeping in mind that Sefton pays 4 weeks in advance, so your account should have 4-8 weeks’ worth of funds available.
Your Direct Payments could be suspended if you break the terms of your Direct Payment agreement, and the Council will arrange alternative support. Breaches include:
- Mismanaging the account.
- Spending money in a way that hasn’t been agreed in your support plan.
- Not meeting employer responsibilities (e.g., not paying taxes, national insurance or buying insurance).
- Not providing requested documents.
- Not completing actions from your review report.
You can contact the team at Selfdirectedsupport@sefton.gov.uk or call 0151 934 3888.
Direct Payment account paperwork, for example invoices for support, should be sent to:
Self-Directed Support Team
1st Floor, Magdalen House
Trinity Road
Bootle
L20 3NJ
Or email it to: selfdirectedsupport@sefton.gov.uk.
If you no longer need the Direct Payment, you must inform the Self-Directed Support Team immediately. Future payments will stop, and we will start the final review of the Direct Payment account to recover any unused funds.
You will need to provide:
- Invoices and receipts for care support provided.
- We can’t consider expenses unrelated to the care plan, like personal contributions for nursing homes or funeral costs.
We will inform you about:
- Any outstanding payments due to your Personal Assistant(s).
- The final payment due to HM Revenue and Customs.
- The amount to be returned to the council.
If you use the Direct Payment and:
- Do not spend it on services for which it has been provided, or
- You spend it in a way that is not allowed in your Direct Payment agreement,
You will need to return the amount within 14 days. Keep your Direct Payment account separate from personal accounts to avoid confusion.
If you notice payments leave your account that you have not agreed, notify your Direct Payments Advisor or email selfdirectedsupport@sefton.gov.uk immediately.
Any unused Direct Payment funds will be reviewed annually and returned to the council. You will be notified in writing before receiving an invoice.
You must provide the Self-Directed Support Team with the following paperwork in order to reconcile your account:
- Copies of invoices paid for care support
- Copy of Insurance certificate / premium
All paperwork can be either uploaded directly onto the Prepaid Card website or sent to the Self-Directed Support Team.
You must provide the Self Directed Support Team with the following paperwork in order to reconcile your account:
- Bank statements for the specified period
- Monitoring declaration sheet
- A Timesheet for each of your employees
- Copies of invoices paid for care support
- Copy of Insurance certificate / premium