Personal Benefit

[Marchhare]

Hi, has anyone had experience of the above. I understand that it supposed to be "empowering" but it is also discriminatory. If you have savings then you have to pay for some services which is very unfair on someone who has been careful with their money all their lives.
Mh

 

[rasselas]

...

Hi, I don't have direct personal experience of this. I'm assuming you mean direct payments?

I helped a friend obtain it a few years ago. They get a tremendous amount of help now and have been able to avoid many pitfalls.

You are right, it is discriminatory. I have tried to secure it for another acquaintance that lives in a different area and hit nothing but brick walls. I gave in, after 9 months.

Have you been succesful in securing it?

 

[Sarah-Jayne]

Direct payments can be quite liberating because they give people more control over the services they want to use. People need to be aware that there can be pifalls when employing staff though- because of tax and national insurance contributions. These kind of things require the right knowledge. There are some charities that can help with this- one example is Penderels Trust. The CAB or social work teams should be able to help too.
I know of people who have loved having the freedom of direct payments and others who have literally gone bankrupt because they did not manage their money well . The best thing to do is really research it before you start.

 

[Marchhare]

I was left some money as a thankyou from my mother for being a full time carer (a job i would have done regardless)
having attended a thereapeutic horticultural project for a while ( a life saver) I have now had a financial assessment re the PB and will now have to pay to attend. I am not much over the "cut off point" but the money is to see me through to the end of my days. I am not the only one at the project who is being affected in this way. Our funding to attend comes from the Mental Health team via Council and the project which is very under funded will lose even more.
I also feel that it is akin to private health but in this case the local council have joined with the NHS and this therapy is classed as Social Care not Health care.
mh

 

[Marchhare]

The CMHT is just as confused as everyone else. I'm sure this scheme wont last long especially now with the severe cutbacks
mh