Direct payments and CarePair

Direct payments can give people more choice over how their care and support is arranged. This page explains what they are, how they are used, and how CarePair fits into that picture.

What are direct payments?

Direct payments are a UK care funding option that let some people receive money to arrange their own support, instead of having all support organised for them by a council or NHS body. In adult social care, this is usually linked to a personal budget. In some cases, healthcare direct payments can also form part of a personal health budget. The exact rules and systems can vary across the UK, and care in other countries may be funded in very different ways, including through insurance, other state systems, or private payment.

About direct payments: https://www.nhs.uk/social-care-and-support/money-work-and-benefits/personal-budgets

How to apply: https://www.gov.uk/apply-direct-payments

How direct payments can support disabled people

For many disabled people, direct payments are about choice, control, and independence. Instead of fitting into a standard service slot, people can often choose who supports them, when support happens, and how that support works in day-to-day life. This can give people more flexibility and more say over how agreed care and support is arranged.

How direct payments are used

People use direct payments in different ways depending on their agreed needs and support plan. One common use is employing or engaging a carer or personal assistant to provide one-to-one help. That might include support at home, personal care, getting out into the community, attending appointments, preparing meals, help with routines, or support to work, study, or socialise. CarePair sits in this part of the picture by helping people looking for care or support connect with carers, support workers, and other suitable matches. CarePair is an online matching and introduction service, not an employer, agency, or care provider, so any care, support, work, or payment arrangement is agreed directly between the users themselves.

How direct payments enhance lives

When direct payments work well, they can make support feel more personal and more practical. A disabled person may be able to build a routine that suits their own life rather than fitting around a provider’s schedule. That can mean more consistency, more dignity, better relationships with the people providing support, and more freedom to take part in work, family life, hobbies, travel, and the community. Direct payments are often valued because they help move care from something that is simply delivered to something that is shaped around the person.

What is involved in being a carer on the direct payments scheme?

Working in a direct payments role usually means supporting one person, or sometimes one family, in a more personal and consistent way. The exact duties depend on the role, but they may include practical support, personal care, community access, companionship, routine-based help, or support linked to work and daily living. Because these roles are arranged directly, carers often need to communicate well, be reliable, respect privacy, and understand that every person’s needs and preferences are different. It is also important to remember that the working arrangement itself is agreed between the people involved, not by CarePair.

What a direct payments role might look like

A direct payments role can look very different from one person to the next. One job might involve a few morning visits each week. Another might involve longer daytime shifts, social support, driving to appointments, or helping someone live independently at home. Some roles may also include sleeping night shifts, where the carer stays overnight and is available if needed, or waking night shifts, where the carer is awake and providing support throughout the night. Some roles are built around regular weekly routines, while others are more flexible. What they often have in common is that the support is shaped around one person’s life, preferences, and goals rather than a large rota or agency round.

Why should carers consider direct payments work?

For many carers, direct payments work can offer a more rewarding alternative to agency-based care. The one-to-one nature of the role often makes it easier to build trust, understand the person properly, and provide support in a way that feels more human and less rushed. These roles can also offer more flexibility, with hours and routines shaped around the person needing support. That can create a better working relationship for both sides. For carers who value continuity, independence, and more meaningful support, direct payments work can be a very positive option. CarePair is designed to help carers and employers find each other and start those conversations more easily.

Examples of what the job can involve

CarePair itself is designed for adult users. In some cases, an adult parent or other authorised adult may use CarePair on behalf of a child or young person to help find suitable support.

• Helping a child get ready for school, including dressing, washing, breakfast, and school bag checks
• Supporting a young person to attend college, training, or social activities
• Assisting with communication, including using AAC, prompts, or visual supports
• Providing supervision to keep someone safe at home or in the community
• Helping with personal care such as washing, dressing, toileting, and grooming
• Preparing meals and drinks, and supporting someone to eat or drink safely
• Supporting with medication prompts or agreed routines, where appropriate
• Helping with moving around the home, transfers, or use of mobility equipment
• Driving or accompanying someone to appointments, work, education, shopping, or activities
• Supporting someone to go out socially, see friends, or take part in hobbies
• Helping a parent support their child with school, activities, therapy, or family routines
• Providing companionship and reducing isolation, especially for older or housebound people
• Assisting with household tasks linked to the person’s care, such as laundry, changing bedding, or keeping key areas clean and safe
• Helping someone manage their daily routine, timetable, or anxiety around transitions
• Supporting with shopping, meal planning, and everyday errands
• Helping someone access the community in a way that suits their confidence, mobility, or sensory needs
• Supporting someone at work or volunteering, including travel and practical help during the day
• Staying overnight for a sleeping night shift in case support is needed
• Providing active support during a waking night shift, such as repositioning, reassurance, toileting, or monitoring routines
• Recording useful handover notes or updating family members or the employer about agreed day-to-day matters