For over a decade, some people using local authority social services have been eligable for 'Direct Payments'. Direct Payments have provided people with the means to buy the services they need themselves, but until recently they have not been widely available to people experiencing mental distress.

The UK Government has now decided to expand the Direct Payments scheme to include more forms of health and social care funding. The idea is that by April 2011 every adult eligable for state-funded social care services will be able to apply for the scheme, which is now being called 'self-directed support'. To help people choose what kinds of service they want and work out what they can afford, they will be able to get independent information and advice from 'independent brokers'. Oxfordshire County Council is conducting a 'learning exercise' for organisations that want to be independent brokers. The exercise will run between December 2008 and December 2009 and will only include people living in the north of the county (people experiencing mental distress will not be able to participate in the learning exercise until July 2009 at the earliest). Our Information and Advocacy Service will be participating in the learning exercise.

Registered Charity No.1017602
PO Box 1476, Oxford OX4 9DG
Tel: 01865 728981
Funded by: Oxfordshire PCT, Oxfordshire County Council, Restore, Comic Relief
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