Choosing everyday support
Direct payments allow eligible people to arrange support instead of using services organised by a council. Many recipients employ personal assistants; others use an agency. The audit described support with dressing, cooking, visiting friends and accessing work or training, and stressed councils’ responsibility to help people manage employment obligations. [2]
Positive experiences, incomplete evidence
Crompton said payments were “highly valued by service users and carers”. The report’s ten recommendations covered public information, inconsistent delivery and better evaluation. Difficulties measuring value for money reflected gaps in data and assessment, rather than a finding that the payments themselves were ineffective or wasteful. [1][2]
Recruitment enters the local debate
At a Gwynedd council committee meeting on 8 September 2022, officials acknowledged that a shortage of assistants could deter applicants. Members questioned the £12.62 hourly rate cited in the discussion. The response said rates needed another examination and linked the issue to work with Community Catalysts on local care enterprises. No pay rise was announced in those minutes. [3]