What is Self Directed Support?

Self Directed Support is a way of providing social care support that empowers individuals to have informed choice about how support is provided to them, with a focus on working together to achieve individual outcomes.Eligibility for Self Directed Support or use of Direct Payments is established through an assessment of your needs, in line with Health and Social Care criteria. A referral for an Assessment of Need can be done via your GP, or alternatively, you or your representative may wish to contact your local Health & Social Care Trust directly.

Where do I start?

  • If the Trust worker (usually a Duty Social Worker) you have initial contact with agrees you might be eligible for Health and Social Care Trust support, you will be appointed a Key Worker or Social Worker who will more fully assess your needs. Your Trust Key Worker or Social Worker should adopt a person centred approach to meeting your needs and will explore with you any other resources and networks already available to you that may assist you in achieving your personal goals and outcomes.

Who can avail of Self Directed Support?

  • Service users or carers, where an eligible social care need has been identified by their local HSC Trust.
  • If you are already in receipt of Trust services, but would like to switch to using Direct Payments for all or part of your support needs, you should speak to your Key Worker.

What is a Personal Budget?

  • After meeting with you and discussing the assistance you need, the HSC Trust Key Worker/Social Worker will let you know if you meet their Trust’s eligibility criteria for receiving support from them. This process is referred to as carrying out a Needs Assessment. This process will be documented by the Trust worker and you should receive a copy of the written up Needs Assessment (sometimes known as a Care Plan or Care and Support Plan) to ensure you are satisfied it fully reflects all relevant aspects of your discussion.
  • If you are eligible for Trust support, you may receive a Letter of Offer from your HSC Trust outlining an amount of money identified as your weekly Personal Budget. This budget is formulated using the assessed need (usually based on the number of hours per week the Trust agrees you require their support) and the current SDS hourly rate.

Options available under Self Directed Support

Your support can be delivered in the following four ways:
  • 1

    Direct Payments

    Direct Payments are local Health and Social Care (HSC) Trust payments for people who have been assessed as needing assistance from social services. It is available to those who would like to arrange and pay for their own care and support services instead of receiving them directly from their local Trust. Direct Payment users can then manage the Personal Budget in line with what is agreed with the HSC Trust and outlined in the Support Plan.

  • 2

    Trust Arranged Service(s)

    The Health and Social Care Trust will directly organise all services to provide care on your behalf.

  • 3

    Combination of options

    You can also have a combination of the two options – this enables you to use Trust arranged Services for some of your care, along with giving you the flexibility of your social care to be provided in other ways, such as through a Direct Payment.