Although direct payments have been around for some time, councils now have a legal duty offer 4 options to people who have been assessed as needing a community care service:

• option 1 - a direct payment, which is a payment to a person or third party to purchase their own support
• option 2 - the person directs the available support
• option 3 - the local council arranges the support
• option 4 - a mix of the above

You may not eligible for all of these 4 options, but whichever option you choose, you should still be made aware of the amount of your budget.

Information on these options can be found at Self-directed Support in Scotland.