Standard hourly rate paid for a direct payment for disabled child assessed as requiring personal care support under the Children Act 1989 Part 3 - Find a freedom of information request

1. What is the standard hourly rate paid by your local authority for a direct payment for disabled child assessed as requiring personal care support under the Children Act 1989 Part 3?

2. Is the figure stated in answer to question 1 a net figure or a gross figure? A net figure means that the council will make additional payments to cover the costs of employing the personal care worker (ie Employers National Insurance liability, employers' liability insurance costs, holiday and sickness pay etc). A gross figure means that the recipient of the direct payment must pay all the costs of employing the personal care worker from the figure stated in answer to question 1.

3. What is the number of disabled children currently receiving direct payments as a result of being assessed as requiring support under the Children Act 1989 Part 3?

4. Does your council have a policy for increasing the sum specified in answer 1 above in cases where the cost of meeting the disabled child's assessed needs cannot reasonably be met by a payment at the hourly rate specified in answer to question 1?

If the answer to question 4 is yes, please provide a copy of that policy or explain why providing a copy of the policy is not possible.

5. How many of the disabled children referenced in question 3 currently receive an increased hourly rate of direct payment as per question 4, ie how often is an increased rate felt to be required?

I can confirm that the information requested is held by Lincolnshire County Council. I have detailed below the information that is being released to you.

1. £13 per hour. This rate will increase to £15 on the 1st of April 2024 to cover the National Living Wage.

2. Gross figure; the LA provides a start-up cost which covers the initial DBS, Employer’s Liability and advertising costs.

3. At 21/2/24 there are 103 young people in receipt of a DP

4. There is no policy.

5. The hourly rate is reviewed annually to ensure the LA is compliant with meeting the National Living Wage