Self-Directed Support (Direct Payments), Scotland, 2012

Presents the latest figures on the number of people in Scotland who use Direct Payments to purchase and manage for themselves some or all of the social care and support services they need.


2. Scotland Analysis

Figures behind the charts are available in the annex.

  • Across Scotland 5,049 people received Self-directed Support (Direct Payments) in the year 2011/12, an increase of 657 (15 per cent) from the 2010/11 level.
  • 37 per cent of these 5,049 people received Self-directed Support (Direct Payments) due to a physical disability. 24 per cent had a learning disability and 4 per cent had both a learning disability and a physical disability.

Chart 2: Number of people receiving Self-directed Support (Direct payments) packages by client group and age, 2012

Chart 2: Number of people receiving Self-directed Support (Direct payments) packages by client group and age, 2012

Chart 3: Percentage of people receiving Self-directed Support (Direct Payments) packages by age, 2001-2012

Chart 3: Percentage of people receiving Self-directed Support (Direct Payments) packages by age, 2001-2012

  • The age profile of Self-directed Support (Direct Payment) clients has changed since 2001, with a greater proportion of recipients now aged 65 or over. In 2001 only 7 per cent of recipients were in this age group, compared to a third of clients in 2012.
  • In the year to 31 March 2012, 1,663 people aged over 65 received payments (33 per cent of the total).
  • Overall there were slightly more females than males in receipt of Self-directed Support (Direct Payments) in 2012, 53 per cent compared to 47 per cent.
  • The age profile varies by age group. In the under 35 age groups there were more males than females using Direct Payments while in the 65 and over age group, there were nearly twice as many females than males.

Table 1: Age and gender of clients receiving Self-directed Support (Direct Payments) packages, 2012

Age
0-17 18-34 35-49 50-64 65+ Total
Male 448 678 328 386 556 2,396
Female 249 421 422 454 1,107 2,653
Total 697 1,099 750 840 1,663 5,049

Source: Self-directed Support (Direct Payments) Survey, Scottish Government

Table 2: Ethnicity of clients receiving Self-directed Support (Direct Payments) packages, 2012

Ethnicity Number of clients
White 4,001
Mixed or multiple ethnic groups 14
Asian 50
African, Caribbean or Black 12
Other ethnic background 28
Not disclosed 85
Not known 859
All 5,049

Source: Self-directed Support (Direct Payments) Survey, Scottish Government

  • In the year to 31 March 2012, 97 per cent of the people who received payments and their Ethnicity was known, were of White ethnicity (4,001 people).

Chart 4: Value of Self-directed Support (Direct Payments) packages, 2001-2012

Chart 4: Value of Self-directed Support (Direct Payments) packages, 2001-2012

Note: Value of payments has been estimated for Renfrewshire Council in 2010.

  • The total value of direct payments has steadily increased each year from £2.1 million in 2001 to £59.4 million in the year to 31 March 2012.
  • The largest spend in 2011/12 was £26.4 million spent on people with physical disabilities (44 per cent) followed by £18.6 million spent on people with learning disabilities (31 per cent).

Chart 5: Distribution of length of Self-directed Support (Direct Payments) packages, 2012

Chart 5: Distribution of length of Self-directed Support (Direct Payments) packages, 2012

  • Of the direct payments which were ongoing on 31 March 2012, 47 per cent had been in place for a year or less. A further 15 per cent had been going for over 1 year but less than 2 years and 16 per cent of payments had been in place for over 5 years.

Table 3: Type of Self-directed Support (Direct Payment) provision, 2012

Type of DP provision Packages of Self-directed Support (Direct Payments) % of all packages of Self-directed Support (Direct Payments)
Personal Care 2,978 53%
Health Care 106 2%
Domestic Tasks 700 13%
Housing Support 601 11%
Social/educational/recreational activities 1,137 20%
Equipment and temporary adaptations 16 0%
Respite 1,238 22%
Meals 198 4%
Other 970 17%

Source: Self-directed Support (Direct Payments) Survey, Scottish Government
Note that this table presents packages and not clients. A client may have more than one package of SDS (Direct Payment).
Note that as more than one type of provision can apply to an individual client package, percentages do not add to 100.
Note figures will not sum due to missing data

  • 53 per cent of all packages of Self–directed Support (Direct Payments) were for personal care and 22% were for respite allowing the person’s carer to have a short break.

Table 4: Type of care delivery, 2012

Type of Care Delivery Self-directed Support (Direct Payments) packages % of all Self-directed Support (Direct payments) packages
Personal assistant (PA) Contract 2,188 39%
Service Provider 2,354 42%
Mixed 222 4%
Other 298 5%

Source: Self-directed Support (Direct Payments) Survey, Scottish Government
Note Percentages are based on packages of Self-directed Support (Direct Payments) and not number of clients. This data was not provided for every package of Self-directed Support (Direct Payments)

  • 39 per cent of all packages of Self-directed Support (Direct Payments) involved a personal assistant.

Contact

Email: Steven Gillespie

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