Darlington Association on Disability

Darlington Association on Disability can provide a range of high quality support to help you manage your Direct Payment.

DAD provides a comprehensive, high quality direct payments support service which is highly valued by the people who receive support.  As a local disability user led organisation we provide a responsive, friendly and approachable support service and have many years experience in supporting direct payment users.

We provide payroll, ongoing support and information, recruitment support, Disclosure and Barring checks and a managed account service.  We ensure people who are new to using direct payments receive high quality information, advice and guidance to ensure using direct payments is a positive experience.

You will find further detailed information on this page about the types of support we provide.

We have a range of staff members who bring a wealth of knowledge and expertise to enable effective support of users.  This includes employment law, community care, independent living, personalisation, Inland Revenue, recruitment and selection and knowledge of local services and community support.

Support and advice is available 5 days a week where direct payment users are able to have contact by telephone or email. We have a duty system, which ensure that even when a person’s Lead Worker is not available we can still provide “same day” support.  Face to face support is available by making an appointment, arranging for us to visit you in your home or via Zoom or teams.

People who live in Darlington and use a direct payment paid from Darlington Borough Council, can access support for free (a managed account is to be agreed with your social worker).

People who live in Redcar and Cleveland and use a direct payment paid from Redcar and Cleveland Council, can access support in agreement with the social worker.

For those who privately fund their support, are in another area or use a Personal Health Budget, we will work with you to determine the support you need and create a tailored service (an invoice will be raised for you to pay).

Initial Information:

DAD can provide initial information and advice for those people thinking about using a direct payment for the first time. You can access support by using the contacting the Direct Payments Support Service on 01325 360524, or emailing directpayments@darlingtondisability.org.

Starting up:

DAD is able to support people to get their direct payments up and running and provide support, information and advice to do this.

This includes:

• Understanding your responsibilities in using a direct payment
• Support to understand how the process works
• Provide information on what services are available locally, and where needed support to set your preferred option up.
• Support to understand what monitoring information the council requires, and what you need to keep.
• Where you choose to employ your own personal assistants/ support worker; we can provide you with support to recruit; and understand your employer responsibilities.

Payroll Service:

We provide a comprehensive and inclusive payroll service. The process we use aims to support you, and includes a reminder call / text each month that your payroll is due; and provides information to deal with any queries.

The service includes a four weekly payroll service, which calculates tax and national insurance and employer’s national insurance, payslips, handling of inland revenue payments.  Setting up a pension scheme for any PA who is automatically enrolled and assessing your PA’s on a 4 weekly basis to check to see if any are to be newly automatically enrolled. 

Staff have received training and our processes are “real time” compliant. Real time means that the inland revenue require four weekly information on what each of your employees have worked, this information is required to be submitted online.

On-going Support:

Once you are up and running with your direct payment, there may be times when you need a bit of support, information and advice.

Support can include:

• Support where you want to change how you use your direct payments.
• Looking at training requirements
• Risk assessments for example moving and handling or if you have a PA who is pregnant
• Contracts
• Support with sending monitoring information to the local authority.
• Support with payment of invoices etc where needed
• Information and advice about your employer responsibilities where you chosen to employ staff ; including support with dealing with difficulties with disciplinary issues.
• Support to recruit personal assistants/ support workers.
• Support with other issues around your direct payment.

Vetting Service:

Where you choose to employ staff we high recommend that you undertake thorough pre employment checks including references, Disclosure and Barring Service Check  (DBS), formally known as CRB checks or criminal record bureau checks.  Please contact us for further information and to arrange a check.

Managed Accounts:

For some people it may be that you need a high level of support to help manage the financial aspects of receiving a direct payment. In some circumstances, the council may agree to fund a managed account.

This means that you nominate DAD to receive the money on your behalf. Please visit Third Party and Managed Accounts to find out more information about managed accounts.