FOI Request - Self Directed Support Payments

Request 101003336106

1. Can you please tell me how much money the council has had available in their budget for unpaid carers and supported people in the form of Self Directed Support (SDS) each year since 2020.

2.  Can you please tell me how much money has been paid out as SDS to unpaid carers and supported people each year since 2020 and does this money come from separate sources?

3. Can you please tell me how many of these unpaid carers and supported people have been able to spend their budget as intended and how many are unable to due to a lack of available services each year since 2020.

4 a). Can you please tell me how much money put aside for SDS has been left unused each year from 2020-2023 and what happens to this money?

4 b). How much money from SDS has been requested to be returned to the authority because it hasn’t been spent from 2020-2023?

5. What are the total number of users currently receiving Self-directed Support for each of the four options?

6. The most recent SDS Standards aim to support flexibility for families including allowing the employment of family members to deliver services. What is the total number of unpaid carers and supported people who have requested to use some, or all of, their SDS budget to employ family members, and what is the total number of unpaid carers and supported people currently doing so since April 2022?

Response 05-07-2023

1. 

2. 

3. This is not something we currently record, however, where an individual has been unable to spend their budget as intended due to lack of available services, we would look to see if they could utilise their budget in an alternative way to meet their agreed outcome.

4 a) N/A - all funding has been utilised

4 b) 

Totaling £547,991.09 monies received for Direct Payment accounts where the package has ended due.  We permit contingency funds to build up in accounts, and as a result these would be reclaimed when the package ended.  Packages could end due to choosing an alternative option of SDS, moving into long term care, moving out of area, or passing away.

5. Please see: 

https://publichealthscotland.scot/publications/insights-in-social-care-statistics-for-scotland/insights-in-social-care-statistics-for-scotland-support-provided-or-funded-by-health-and-social-care-partnerships-in-scotland-202122/self-directed-support/

6. Family members are permitted to be employed on Direct Payment packages and we have acknowledges the greater flexibility enabled through the COVID guidance pandemic and subsequent SDS Standards.  Once a family member has been permitted to be employed on a Direct Payment package, they are supported the same as any other Personal Assistant in relation to contracts of employment, PVG checks and added to the employers payroll.  As a result, we do not record where a PA is a family member once they are employed as they are classed the same as all other Personal Assistants.