Last month I joined the South West Direct Payments Network event in Exeter, alongside my fellow National Co-production Advisory Group (NCAG) member Rachel. For once, we weren’t there to speak – we came simply as delegates. It was refreshing to take part on an equal footing with everyone else, listening, learning, and reflecting on how Direct Payments are working across the region.
The event brought together local authorities, people with lived experience, and organisations working to make Direct Payments a reality. It’s encouraging to see a large number of local authorities from the South West coming together voluntarily to form their own network focused on improving Direct Payments; and there was a lot of positive energy and practice in the room.
A key theme of the day was the shift from seeing Direct Payments as a way of buying “time and task” – in other words, with councils specifying how many hours of support people are allowed and what tasks should be done for them – towards seeing them as a way for councils to flexibly support people to live a good life. For me, that change in mindset is at the heart of everything.
Measuring what really matters
One of the breakout sessions focused on how we measure the impact of Direct Payments on people’s lives. It was one of the most powerful conversations of the day. Instead of asking how many hours of support someone receives, the real question should be: ‘is this helping them to live the life they want?’.
Direct Payments were never designed to be micro-managed or reduced to spreadsheets and hourly rates. They exist so that people can shape support around what makes life meaningful – doing things that matter to them, working, socialising, taking part in family life. The best measure of success is when someone’s life improves compared to before they received their Direct Payment. If that’s happening, then things are working as they should. We discussed different ways that local authorities might be able to measure this, and it’s not always easy. But what’s clear is that the number of hours of support people receive is not, in itself, a good measure of their success.
The injustice of the postcode lottery
Something that came up throughout the day was that, although Direct Payments are enshrined in national law, the experience of receiving and using them still varies hugely from one area to another. Some local authorities allow flexible approaches where people have the choice and control over how they spend their Direct Payments, as long as it aligns with the purposes agreed with the local authority – which is the law. Others are highly restrictive and use these restrictions as a way to save money on social care spending.
This isn’t just frustrating – it’s fundamentally unfair. Where you live shouldn’t determine how much flexibility or trust you’re given. As one person put it, it’s become a postcode lottery. And when councils are under financial stress, this often gets worse.
In one discussion, it was reported that a local authority had “clawed back” over £1.6 million in Direct Payments for being spent “incorrectly.” For me, that set alarm bells ringing. It suggested a culture of control, not collaboration.
I understand that Direct Payments are public money – but people who draw on care and support are members of the public too. When we talk about “public money”, we shouldn’t slip into dividing society into those who “give” and those who “take.” That kind of language is deeply unhelpful, and surely we should aspire to being a society in which we all have the chance to live a good life.
The role of leadership and culture
Through our conversations, it became clear that what really shapes how Direct Payments work isn’t policy alone – it’s leadership and culture.
In places where senior leaders genuinely believe in personalisation, you can see it in practice. They trust people to make decisions, they invest in Direct Payment support services, and they measure success by the difference it makes to people’s lives.
Where that belief is missing, everything becomes about financial control. The same system that can be liberating in one area becomes limiting in another. The day made me realise how desperately we need to scale up good practice, so that areas can learn from each other and ultimately make sure that disabled people are supported better and more evenly across the country. Networks – like the South West Direct Payments Network – play a key role in making this happen, and I hope that we can do more to support it through Think Local Act Personal too.
Rediscovering the roots of Direct Payments
The event also reminded us of where this all began – the Independent Living Movement. Speakers who access WECIL (West of England Centre for Inclusive Living) shared powerful stories of how Direct Payments had transformed their lives. They also highlighted the vital role of having a Direct Payment support service – not just for payroll or paperwork, but for reassurance, guidance, and a friendly voice at the end of the phone when you need help.
That support can be the difference between success and failure for many people. It’s about more than compliance; it’s about confidence. Hearing those stories brought the focus back to what Direct Payments were always meant to do: enable people to live on their own terms, with dignity and independence.
A hopeful note
The day began with opening remarks from Sarah McClinton, the Government’s Chief Social Worker, reaffirming national commitment to Direct Payments as a key pillar of the government’s approach to social care. That message of support is invaluable – because even though the details of local delivery might vary, the principles must stay the same everywhere.
If parts of the South West are already showing what good looks like, then the challenge now is to scale that up – across the region and beyond.
As someone who uses a Direct Payment myself, I left Exeter hopeful but also determined. The solutions are already out there. We just need to make sure everyone has access to them. The real question is no longer “Can Direct Payments work?”. It’s “Why aren’t they working this well everywhere?”.
Learn about how we can improve Direct Payments through our Reinvigorating Direct Payments event and webinar series or by exploring our e-learning resources.
