Some people get money from the NHS or their local social care team that is used to pay for care and support. This is called getting direct payments. A direct payment is one way of using a personal budget or personal health budget. 

A personal budget is money from a local social care team. A personal health budget is money from an NHS clinical commissioning group. It is important that people are still able to get the care and support they need during the coronavirus outbreak. 

Here is an easy read guide to explain what to do:

• If you pay for a personal assistant (PA) using direct payments 
• If you buy care and support through a service using a direct payment
• What should happen if you are showing signs of coronavirus
• If your personal assistant (PA) is worried that they might have coronavirus
• What NHS Community Health Services is doing to help you use direct payments
• Extra support from the government if you pay for a personal assistant (PA)
• What social care teams and the NHS are doing to support you if you use direct payments to pay for care and support
• Making sure you are still getting your direct payments when you need them

Download the Direct Payments during coronavirus guidance.

The Department of Health and Social Care and other organisations have made a list of frequently asked questions about direct payments. This is on the Skills for Care website and it will be updated regularly.

Read more of our resources in our Covid-19 Resources Hub