Standard hourly rate paid for a direct payment for personal care to disabled children
Case reference FOI2024/00314
Published 6 March 2024
Request
1. What is the standard hourly rate paid by your local authority for a direct payment for disabled child assessed as requiring personal care support under the Children Act 1989 Part 3?
2. Is the figure stated in answer to question 1 a net figure or a gross figure? A net figure means that the council will make additional payments to cover the costs of employing the personal care worker (ie Employers National Insurance liability, employers' liability insurance costs, holiday and sickness pay etc). A gross figure means that the recipient of the direct payment must pay all the costs of employing the personal care worker from the figure stated in answer to question 1.
3. What is the number of disabled children currently receiving direct payments as a result of being assessed as requiring support under the Children Act 1989 Part 3?
4. Does your council have a policy for increasing the sum specified in answer 1 above in cases where the cost of meeting the disabled child's assessed needs cannot reasonably be met by a payment at the hourly rate specified in answer to question 1?
5. If the answer to question 4 is yes, please provide a copy of that policy or explain why providing a copy of the policy is not possible.
6. How many of the disabled children referenced in question 3 currently receive an increased hourly rate of direct payment as per question 4, ie how often is an increased rate felt to be required?
Response
1. What is the standard hourly rate paid by your local authority for a direct payment for disabled child assessed as requiring personal care support under the Children Act 1989 Part 3?
£13.80 per hour.
2. Is the figure stated in answer to question 1 a net figure or a gross figure? A net figure means that the council will make additional payments to cover the costs of employing the personal care worker (ie Employers National Insurance liability, employers' liability insurance costs, holiday and sickness pay etc). A gross figure means that the recipient of the direct payment must pay all the costs of employing the personal care worker from the figure stated in answer to question 1.
The hourly rate is the gross figure and has been calculated to include sufficient funds to pay: National minimum wage, holiday pay, sick pay, pension auto enrolment and minimum employer's pension contribution. Additional funding is provided for account and payroll set up, payroll support, liability insurance and employment support.
3. What is the number of disabled children currently receiving direct payments as a result of being assessed as requiring support under the Children Act 1989 Part 3?
The Service Area have confirmed there are currently 134 active children's direct payments, 14 of which are awaiting closure. In addition to this, there are 12 new cases awaiting set up.
4. Does your council have a policy for increasing the sum specified in answer 1 above in cases where the cost of meeting the disabled child's assessed needs cannot reasonably be met by a payment at the hourly rate specified in answer to question 1?
The Service Area have confirmed that there is not a written policy on increased rate, this is considered on an individual basis.
5. If the answer to question 4 is yes, please provide a copy of that policy or explain why providing a copy of the policy is not possible.
N/A
6. How many of the disabled children referenced in question 3 currently receive an increased hourly rate of direct payment as per question 4, ie how often is an increased rate felt to be required?
6
Documents
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