What is the Direct Payments Hourly Rate Paid by my Local Council?
You will have to ask your local council social worker or ‘Direct Payments Officer’ because the rate varies between Local Authorities. The Government Guidance says that the ‘direct payments’ rate per hour should be sufficient to enable people to have choice over which service they wish to choose to provide their care. This would indicate that the rate per hour should therefore be sufficient to enable a person to choose one of the local private care agencies to provide their care – if that was the choice of the individual. This would tend to indicate that the rate per hour could be around £9.00/hr to £14.00/hr. Some Local Authorities however have ‘Home Care Contribution Rates’ which is an hourly rate which some clients are expected to pay towards their own home care at home. Please check with your local Council for local ‘direct payments’ rates per hour.
