Adults Direct Payments Policy

Feedback updated 20 Nov 2025

We asked

North Northamptonshire Council proposed to introduce a new Direct Payments Policy to outline and clarify our current approach to the operation of Direct Payments within Adult Social Care. A new policy will enable us to be transparent and consistent with our approach to adults Direct Payments. We sough views to help shape what should be included in our policy.

You said

A total of 92 responses were received either via the on-line consultation hub or directly by email, however only 66 people provided any specific feedback or responded to the questions included.

56% of respondents rated the importance of introducing a Direct Payments Policy as 4 or 5 on a scale of 1-5 with 1 being least important and 5 being most important.

Respondents were asked to rank the importance of specific areas being included in the new policy on a scale of 1-5 with 1 being least important and 5 being most important. Of those who commented:

81% rated the inclusion of a section on what Direct Payments can be used for as 4 or 5.
81% rated the inclusion of a section on the role of the person receiving a Direct Payment as 4 or 5.
88% rated the inclusion of a section including information on using a Direct Payment to employ a Personal Assistant as 4 or 5.
82% rated the inclusion of a section on Monitoring, Funding and Reclaims as 4 or 5.
82% rated the inclusion of a section on what support is available to recipients of Direct Payments as 4 or 5.

Based on the feedback the specific areas identified for inclusion were included in the policy.

Respondents were invited to submit any other subjects they felt should be included in the policy. A range of subjects were suggested. Feedback was considered and included in the policy where relevant. There were two suggested topics which could not be included fully but which were signposted from the document.

We did

The revised Adults Social Care Direct Payments Policy was approved at Executive on 11 November 2025. A Consultation Feedback Report was appended to the committee report which provides full details of the survey feedback and actions taken.

Overview

North Northamptonshire Council propose to introduce a new Direct Payments Policy to outline and clarify our current approach to the operation of Direct Payments within Adult Social Care. A new policy will enable us to be transparent and consistent with our approach to adults Direct Payments. We are asking for your views to help shape what should be included in our policy.

What are direct payments? What are direct payments?

Direct Payments are one way for an individual, who has been assessed as eligible to receive support from North Northamptonshire Council, to receive funding to pay for that support. Direct Payment funding is paid directly to the person or their representative or can be paid into a managed account on their behalf.

Direct Payments are the Government’s preferred mechanism for personalised care and support. They are designed to enable people to tailor their support to meet the goals and outcomes that they want to achieve.

The Council is committed to provide independence, choice and control by enabling people to commission their own care and support to meet their planned outcomes as agreed in their support plan. Direct Payments provide flexible, personalised alternatives to the other social care services offered by the Council.

This flexibility should allow people to better shape their support arrangements to suit their individual circumstances, requirements, skills and strengths.

There are currently 604 people who receive a Direct Payment from the Council. These include people within the boundary of North Northamptonshire, several who are based in the West of the county and a few who are based out of the county.

Reasons for introducing a Direct Payments Policy

Our aim is to provide clear guidance and procedures within the policy to cover the roles and responsibilities of both the Council and people receiving Direct Payments. This should ensure that there is clear and current guidance in place covering all aspects of the Council’s Direct Payment offer.

We want to know the views of Direct Payment users, their relatives, representatives, support staff and others who may have an interest in Direct Payments. This is to ensure that we take everyone’s views into account so that informed decisions can be made in the best interest of the people who benefit from the service.

How to have your say

You can tell us your views in one of the following ways:

• Complete the online survey using the link at the end of this page

• Email us at: pbssadmin.ncc@northnorthants.gov.uk

• Contact us at 0300 3731173 Option 2 if you require in-person support to complete the survey

• Write to us at:

Direct Payments Policy, Finance Operations – PBSS, North Northamptonshire Council, Kettering Parkway, Kettering NN15 6EY

If you have any queries or require the survey in another format, please contact us by using the contact details provided above.

This survey closes at 23.59 on 1^st October 2025.

For information about how consultation and engagement responses are managed, please see the consultation and engagement privacy notice.

Interests

Adult social services
Engagement activities
Your council