Using Direct Payments to Find a Self-Employed Carer in Devon

Many people who arrange their own support want two things: choice and continuity. A carer they know and get on with, at times that suit them. Direct payments and personal budgets can sometimes give people more control over how their support is arranged.

TrustMatch Care is an introductory agency. We help introduce people in Devon to suitable self-employed carers. This page explains, in plain English, how direct payments can fit into that and what to check first.

What Are Direct Payments?

A direct payment is money paid by a local authority to a person who has been assessed as having eligible care and support needs, so that they can arrange and pay for their own support instead of the council arranging it for them. A personal budget is the amount of money set aside to meet those needs in your support plan. A direct payment is one way of taking that budget.

The exact rules depend on your funding arrangement, your local authority and your support plan. We are not the council, and we cannot tell you what you are entitled to or what you can spend your money on. Devon County Council publishes its own information about direct payments, and national guidance is set out in the government's Care and support statutory guidance. We are not affiliated with or endorsed by the council.

Can I Choose My Own Carer?

For many people, more choice is the main attraction of a direct payment. Some arrangements allow you to decide who supports you and when. Whether that is allowed in your case, and how, depends on your support plan and the terms of your funding, so it is worth checking before you make any plans.

When people are looking for a carer of their own, the things they tend to care about most are:

• Continuity: seeing the same person rather than a different face each week.
• Compatibility: someone whose personality, interests and way of communicating suit you.
• Preferred times: mornings, evenings, weekends or a regular weekly pattern that fits your life.
• Longer-term relationships: a carer who gets to know you and your routines over time.
• Specialist experience: someone who has supported people with similar needs before.

We cannot promise any particular carer or any particular availability, but these are the things we ask about when we talk to you.

Using a Self-Employed Carer

Some people use direct payments to pay a self-employed carer. It can be a good fit for flexible, longer-term support, but it works differently from employing someone directly, so it helps to know what you are taking on.

• The carer is self-employed. They run their own business. They are not employed by you or by TrustMatch Care.
• That is different from employing someone yourself. Families should understand their own responsibilities before they start. We cannot give employment-status advice, so if you are unsure, ask your council, a direct payments support service or a qualified adviser.
• Insurance, DBS checks, training and references all matter. These are the kinds of things worth asking any carer about, and asking to see.
• Your funding terms must be checked. Some councils place limits on who can be paid from a direct payment or personal budget, and how.

How TrustMatch Care Helps

If you have a direct payment, a personal budget or a privately funded arrangement and you would like help finding a self-employed carer, this is what we do:

• We talk through the support you need, including your routine, preferred times and any particular requirements.
• We look for potentially suitable self-employed carers, drawing on a wider pool than most families could reach on their own.
• We make introductions and support the introduction process, so you can decide whether a carer feels right for you.

Once an introduction has been made, we do not manage or supervise the care. The arrangement is between you and the carer. TrustMatch Care does not employ carers, allocate staff, create rotas, schedule visits or manage care delivery, and we are an introductory agency, not a managed home care provider.

Direct Payments and Longer-Term Support

Direct payments are often used for regular, ongoing support rather than one-off help. That might be a steady pattern of weekly visits, or a higher-hour package where continuity matters a great deal. Seeing the same carer over months and years means they get to know your routines, your preferences and what a good day looks like.

This is particularly relevant for people living with cerebral palsy, long-term physical disabilities or more complex arrangements. If that sounds like you or someone you care for, you can read more about cerebral palsy and complex long-term support. TrustMatch Care does not provide complex clinical care. Where clinical needs are involved, your care plan and the professionals supporting you set out what is needed.

Finding a Carer in Exeter or Plymouth

If you live in or near Exeter, you can find out more about home care in Exeter. If you are in or around Plymouth, see home care in Plymouth. We introduce self-employed carers across these areas wherever we can, but we cannot guarantee availability in any particular location.

Questions to Ask Before Using Your Direct Payment

These are practical questions to put to your council, social worker or direct payments team before you arrange anything:

• Does my support plan allow me to use a self-employed carer?
• Can I use an introductory agency to help me find one?
• What records and paperwork should I keep, such as agreements, invoices and timesheets?
• Are there any restrictions on what I can spend the money on?
• Which responsibilities stay with me, and which do not?
• Do I need approval before I change my arrangements?

Talk to TrustMatch Care

If you have a direct payment, a personal budget or a privately funded arrangement and you would like help finding a suitable self-employed carer, get in touch. We can discuss what you need and make appropriate introductions where possible. We cannot promise availability, but we will always tell you where we stand.

Frequently Asked Questions

This page is general information only. It is not legal, tax, employment or benefits advice.