Access Compass guide
Personal budgets and direct payments for adults (Northamptonshire)
You can take control of your own care through a personal budget or direct payment. This guide is for adults with eligible needs in North or West Northamptonshire. A personal budget is the money the council sets aside for your care. A direct payment means the council pays that money to you, so you choose your own support. The guide also covers employing a personal assistant and getting free payroll support.
Published by Access Compass · How we research and check guides
Who it's for: Adults, Parents & carers, Families
Not yet verified Last checked 7 Jul 2026. Review due 6 Aug 2026. Always confirm details with the service before relying on them.
Visual explanations
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Step-by-step flow · full text built in
Direct payments and employing a personal assistant
A six-stage lifecycle covering assessment, personal budget, choosing support, recruiting a personal assistant, payroll and insurance, and review. The headings and lists that follow are the complete text equivalent of this visual.
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1. Assessment
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Agree eligible outcomes
The assessment identifies needs and outcomes. A direct payment is one way of arranging agreed support, not a separate entitlement to extra support.
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2. Budget and agreement
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Understand the amount and rules
Check the calculation, contribution, permitted use, record-keeping, contingency and what requires prior agreement.
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3. Choose how to arrange support
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Decide who holds responsibility
Options may include employing a PA, using self-employed support where lawful, an agency, a managed account or a mixed arrangement.
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4. Recruit safely
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Write the role and check suitability
Use accessible recruitment, references, right-to-work and DBS routes where applicable, and agree boundaries, hours and contingency.
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5. Employ and pay
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Meet employer duties
Set up contracts, payroll, tax, pension, insurance, leave, sick pay, supervision, training and secure records. Use payroll or support services if needed.
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6. Review
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Check outcomes and sustainability
Review whether support is safe, lawful and working, whether the budget is enough, and what must change when needs or staff change.
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Printable and zoomable: this is structured text, not an image.
Step by step
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Have a needs assessment first
A personal budget and direct payment only come after a Care Act 2014 needs assessment finds you have eligible care and support needs. If you have not had one yet, contact your council's adult social care front door: North Northamptonshire on 0300 126 3000 or West Northamptonshire on 0300 126 7000.
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Understand your personal budget
A personal budget is the amount the council works out is needed to meet your eligible needs. You can let the council arrange and manage your care, have the budget paid to a care provider, or take it as a direct payment to arrange your own care, or combine these options.
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Choose a direct payment if you want more control
A direct payment gives you the money to arrange care yourself. In North Northamptonshire it can be paid onto a pre-paid card (like a debit card) as monthly payments, or held for you in a holding account. In West Northamptonshire the Personal Budget Support Service helps you set up and run it. You must be 18 or over to ask for direct payments.
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Employ a personal assistant if it suits you
You can use a direct payment to employ your own personal assistant for more flexible, tailored support. If you do, you take on legal responsibilities as an employer. Both councils offer free payroll and employer support: North Northamptonshire provides free payroll support and advice, and West Northamptonshire's Personal Budget Support Service helps with the employer role, employment law, paying staff and recruiting personal assistants.
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Complete a financial assessment
The council carries out a financial assessment to decide how much you contribute towards your care. Your contribution is deducted from the direct payment before you receive it. Ask for a benefits check at the same time to make sure you are getting everything you are entitled to.
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Keep records and expect a review
With a direct payment you must keep records such as bank statements, receipts and payroll records to show the money was spent on agreed care. Your support plan and direct payment are reviewed at least once a year, and can be adjusted if your circumstances change.