Want to find out how you can take more control over your care or get support as a carer? Ealing Council has created an easy-to-follow guide on something called ‘direct payments’. Have you seen it?

Direct payments are funds provided by the council to people who have been assessed as needing care or support. The money allows them to arrange the help they need themselves:

• for people who need care – to pay for things like a personal assistant, day centre or care agency 
• for unpaid carers – to support your own wellbeing, such as a gym membership or short break, massage or therapeutic treatment  

To help make it as easy to understand as possible, this autumn the council produced a new booklet, including an easy read version – and it also created a short animation on YouTube. 

‘It points you in the right direction’ 

Josephine is a carer who was part of a group that helped shape the new materials – and she suggested the idea for an animation video. The aim was to make information clearer and more accessible for everyone, including carers, service users and council staff.  

She said: “It’s really informative – not just about direct payments, but also about dementia, other types of care and different conditions. It points you in the right direction.

“The animation was short, sweet and very self-explanatory – really helpful for people whose first language isn’t English. I thought it was easy to understand and covered all the basics in a short space of time.” 

When Josephine first received direct payments, it was to support her 2 adult sons who have additional care and support needs. Now, she receives a direct payment herself and says carers need to be healthy in order to support their loved ones. 

She said: “I use it for my health and wellbeing like going to the gym. It’s been really beneficial. It’s nice to have a bit of time out now and then.

“Both my boys receive direct payments, which helps cover the cost of their day care. They go to different centres.” 

Giving you more choice 

Speaking when the booklet and animation were published, Councillor Polly Knewstub, the council’s cabinet member for healthy equal lives, said: “Direct payments are a powerful way to give people more choice and control over their care. We want residents to feel confident and supported in making decisions that work for them and their families. That’s why we’ve worked closely with service users and carers to jointly produce clear, accessible information, including this new booklet and animation, so that more people across our borough can benefit.” 

As well as being online, the new booklet is also available in printed format through local networks, for example at the Carers Hub, Perceval House and other community spaces. You can also find out more at the weekly carers’ coffee morning, run by Ealing Carers Hub, every Tuesday between 11:30am and 1:30pm at Sycamore Lodge in Acton. 

If you would like a hard copy of the booklet or the easy read version posted to you, you can email ealingdirect@ealing.gov.uk with your name and address.