Local people could be asked to help shape a new policy designed to make it simpler to understand and manage Adult Social Care Direct Payments.
Cabinet will be asked to approve a 12-week public consultation on a proposed single Adult Social Care Direct Payments Policy for Derby when it meets on Wednesday 3 December.
Around 900 people in the city receive Direct Payments to arrange and pay for care services themselves instead of the Council doing this on their behalf. This enables eligible people to make their own choices and meet their assessed care and support needs through a wide variety of services and items, such as domestic help, support with activities of daily life and accessing the community.
Currently, information regarding Adult Social Care Direct Payments is spread across a number of policy documents that can make it challenging for adults with care and support needs, carers to navigate.
A single Direct Payments Policy document would bring together all existing guidance and key information from the Care Act 2014 to clarify eligibility, how to request payments and pay for personal assistants, responsibilities, monitoring, and quality assurance.
Councillor Alison Martin, Cabinet Member for Health and Adult Care, said:
Direct payments are here to help people have more choice and control over their care.
We believe that this person-centred approach hands the power to individuals to decide the best care for their needs. They are the experts in knowing what care and support they need and can tailor it to their own unique preferences.
This proposed consultation is about making sure the system works as smoothly as possible to deliver that crucial independence. The feedback gathered will be vital in shaping a policy that is user-friendly and truly reflects the needs of our local community.
The proposed policy also builds upon Derby’s current approach to direct payments, aligns with the Care Act 2014 and includes additional steps to refresh practices. These include proposals to more closely monitor direct payments held in individual accounts and using a third-party managed account provider when a family member is paid to provide care.
If the consultation is approved, it will run from Monday 12 January 2026 to Monday 6 April 2026. All current and prospective Direct Payment recipients, carers, user support groups, and care providers will be able to participate in the consultation.
You can watch the next Cabinet meeting on 3 December on the Council’s YouTube channel.