What care and support is right for you
To determine what care and support is right for you, the process is guided by the Care Act 2014, which sets out how local authorities must assess and meet care needs.
Here's a breakdown of the key steps and options, including care planning, commissioned care, and direct payments:
Kirklees Council will first talk with you to understand what help and support you may need because of your health, disability, or age. Some care and support services may need to be paid for. Whether you need to pay anything depends on your income and savings. To work this out, the council will carry out a financial assessment to look at your money, such as your income, pension, and any savings. This helps them decide if you will pay nothing, pay a small amount, or pay towards the full cost of your care.
You will be asked to share some information about your finances. This helps the council make the right decision and make sure you are not asked to pay more than you should.
Care and support plan
If you are assessed as requiring care and support, Kirklees will work with you to develop a care and support plan. This must specify which of your needs they will meet, how they will do so, and how much it will cost overall (known as your personal budget).
The council will look at different ways to help meet your agreed care and support needs. the council has a duty to make sure your eligible needs are met. This means making sure you get the support you need, but it does not always mean that the council will arrange or pay for all of your care itself, or that only one specific service must be used. Your needs can be met in different ways, for example, through community services, informal support where this is available, or other local resources. Having identified your unmet eligible needs, Kirklees will explore with you, your unpaid carer and your family, the ways in which those needs could be met.
Kirklees will take into account the support that your unpaid carer is willing and able to provide when considering how your needs can be met. Some needs may also be supported through universal community services. These are services available to everyone, regardless of eligibility, and can include activities such as joining a walking group, attending a lunch club, or accessing support from local clinics, voluntary organisations, community centres, or faith groups.
Where eligible needs cannot be met through these options, Kirklees has a responsibility to ensure they are addressed. This will involve setting a personal budget that outlines the overall cost of meeting your unmet eligible needs, as well as any contribution you may be asked to make following a financial assessment.
Commissioned care or direct payments
Commissioned care
The local authority arranges services for you (e.g. home care, day centres). Kirklees Council contract specific providers to deliver this service to you. You still have choice and control over your care and support plan, however, we are limited to the services we can offer.
Direct payments
Subject to eligibility of assessed need and outcomes of the financial assessment, you may be able to receive a direct payment. You would then arrange your own care and support following your care and support plan. Kirklees Council ensures your personal budget will meet your unmet needs. This gives you more control and flexibility, but also more responsibility.
Commissioned services
Commissioned services are services provided by Kirklees or a third-party provider. Kirklees is responsible for commissioning services that meet your care and support needs, and these services are then delivered by a provider who has been awarded a contract by the local authority.
Commissioned services are typically managed and delivered by experienced professionals who have been trained to provide high-quality care and support. Commissioned services can also be beneficial if you do not want the responsibility of managing your own care and support. Kirklees is responsible for managing the services and ensuring that they meet your needs.
If you have had a Care Act assessment and are eligible for support, you will usually be able to choose between having a direct payment or a commissioned service, or even a combination of both. Whatever you choose, your needs should be fully met by the support package and reviewed regularly to ensure no changes need to be made.
Direct payments
A direct payment is one of the ways you can use your personal budget. Direct payments give you more choice and control over your care and support. Instead of the council arranging services for you, the money from your personal budget is paid directly to you so you can organise the help you need in a way that suits your life. However, direct payments also come with responsibilities. If you receive a direct payment, you are responsible for managing your own care and support, which can be daunting and overwhelming for some. Additionally, if you are going to be an employer, there are legal responsibilities you need to abide by to ensure you are following His Majesty's Revenue and Customs (HMRC) employment regulations. Where appropriate the council will signpost you to the relevant services.
Policy and guidance
We've updated our direct payments policy and guidance - this will be introduced as user agreements are updated from Summer 2026.