COVID-19 Direct Payments
Updated 4 May 2022
Contents
- 7 things you need to know about Direct Payments
- Frequently asked questions
- Personal Protective Equipment (PPE)
- Prevention and infection control
- Statutory Sick Pay explained
- COVID-19 testing
- Useful guidance
- GOV.UK guidance
What impact the coronavirus (COVID-19) may have on Direct Payments, what to do if you have a personal assistant (PA), how you can use Direct Payments to buy personal protection equipment and to prioritise essential tasks.
Call the Plymouth City Council or Devon CCG Personal Health Budget Team if you cannot get support due to the coronavirus (COVID-19) and you do not have any other support network, which means you have no care today or tonight.
Direct payments funding pay dates
- We will make sure that your payments continue to be paid on your regular payment dates.
Frequently asked questions
Question | Answer |
---|---|
Is my PA classed as a critical worker? | YES |
My PA is sick and can't work | The PA will qualify for Statutory Sick Pay if their average earnings are at least £123 per week (calculated over an 8 week period). However, those who are ineligible are able to claim Universal Credit and/or contributory Employment and Support Allowance depending on their personal circumstances. |
My PA is sick and self-isolating | The PA will qualify for Statutory Sick Pay if their average earnings are at least £123 per week (calculated over an 8 week period). However, those who are ineligible are able to claim Universal Credit and/or contributory Employment and Support Allowance depending on their personal circumstances. |
My PA is not sick and able to work but I am self-isolating | The PA must be paid their contracted hours Where the PA has capacity to support other vulnerable people, the PA should contact Plymouth City Council on 01752 668000 |
My PA can work and I am not self-isolating | If your PA can work, they should carry on fulfilling their caring duties. You and your PA must follow the Health and Safety new rules and procedures very seriously and implement them based on government guidance. This is for yours and their protection as well as reducing the risk of infection to other people. |
Personal Protective Equipment (PPE)
If you need to stay home because of self-isolation, you can use Direct Payment funding in a more flexible way to prioritise essential tasks like:
- Personal hygiene
- Hygienic cleaning
- Clothes washing
- Food preparation
PPE Use |
|
Employer Responsibility |
|
Access to PPE | Employers should ensure that the necessary PPE is available for their PA's to use. Refer issues with access to PPE to Enham, the support service provider, and issues with funding to Plymouth City Council. Access to free PPE has been extended until March 2023. |
Prevention and infection control
General Control Measures |
|
Self-Isolating |
|
Statutory Sick Pay explained
If your Personal Assistant tells you they have symptoms of COVID-19 as described on NHS website, they should stay home or you can send them home. If they earn above the Lower Employment Limit (LEL) statutory sick pay would apply from day one.
If they do not qualify, they can check GOV.UK to see if they can get financial support in the form Universal Credit or Employment Support Allowance.
COVID-19 testing
- COVID-19 testing in adult social care
- Changes to COVID-19 testing in England from 1 April
- New guidance sets out how to live safely with COVID-19
- Download the NHS COVID-19 App on your mobile
- NHS - Rapid lateral flow coronavirus (COVID-19) tests
Useful guidance and further information
Where to get direct payment help and advice in Plymouth
Enham - Support Service Provider:
- Email: personalbudgets.plymouth@enhamtrust.org.uk
- Tel: 01752 547255
Plymouth City Council
- Email:DPQueries@plymouth.gov.uk
- Tel: 01752 668000
NHS Devon Clinical Commissioning Group - Personal Health Budget Team
- Email: D-CCG.PersonalHealthBudgets@nhs.net
- Tel: 01752 398754
Additional COVID 19 guidance Plymouth
GOV.UK guidance
Latest COVID-19 guidance
For the latest COVID-19 guidance and information, please view the GOV.UK website.
If you need medical help, go to NHS 111 online.
Read the latest Government COVID-19 guidance
How to submit an organisation or community group to this website
If you are an organisation or community group and can help people during the COVID-19 pandemic, please complete our online form and we will add you to this directory.
Submit your offer of help and support
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