‘Tell us about direct payments barriers’

Stephen Ladyman reiterated his commitment to increasing the take-up
of direct payments this week by urging people to voice their
concerns about barriers to take-up.

Speaking at a Commission for Social Care Inspection fringe event,
the community care minister acknowledged that the barriers
preventing people from taking up direct payments included taxation
and practical issues connected with becoming an “employer”.

“When recruiting people to become a personal assistant, service
users do not have access to the Criminal Records Bureau or
protection of Vulnerable Adults List. There are many things we have
got to do to ensure direct payments are a real choice for people
everywhere,” he added.