Information on Self Directed Support Payments to Unpaid Carers and Supported People
Dear North Lanarkshire Council,
1. Can you please tell me how much money the council has had available in their budget for unpaid carers and supported people in the form of Self Directed Support (SDS) each year since 2020.
2. Can you please tell me how much money has been paid out as SDS to unpaid carers and supported people each year since 2020 and does this money come from separate sources?
3. Can you please tell me how many of these unpaid carers and supported people have been able to spend their budget as intended and how many are unable to due to a lack of available services each year since 2020.
4. Can you please tell me how much money put aside for SDS has been left unused each year from 2020-2023 and what happens to this money?
4. How much money from SDS has been requested to be returned to the authority because it hasn’t been spent from 2020-2023?
5. What are the total number of users currently receiving Self-directed Support for each of the four options?
6. The most recent SDS Standards aim to support flexibility for families including allowing the employment of family members to deliver services. What is the total number of unpaid carers and supported people who have requested to use some, or all of, their SDS budget to employ family members, and what is the total number of unpaid carers and supported people currently doing so since April 2022?
Many thanks,
Anna McIntosh
Dear Sir/madam
I acknowledge receipt of your request which is receiving attention.
I shall contact you again when I am in a position to respond more fully to your request.
Yours sincerely
Angelene Kirkpatrick
For Freedom of Information Co-ordinator
North Lanarkshire Council
Civic Centre
Windmillhill Street
Motherwell
ML1 1AB
Working from home
Please contact via email
Dear Ms. McIntosh
Request for Information
I refer again to your e-mail dated 9 June 2023 seeking information in
relation to Self Directed Support (SDS).
Having investigated, my response to your seven questions is as follows:-
Questions 1, 2 and 4
Please see the table below setting out the information requested:-
2020/21 Budget Actuals Variance
Total £m 82.516 76.182 6.334
2021/22
Total £m 87.716 81.449 6.267
2022/23
Total £m 98.070 92.546 5.524
Please note the following points:-
The Actuals column from the table above represents money that has been
paid out.
The source of funding is a mix of block grant from the Local Authority,
funding from Scottish Government and contributions from the Health Board.
The Variance column from the table above represents unused money. Any
unused or underspend would go into IJB reserves.
Question 3
I can advise that the information requested is not held and in terms of
Section 17 of the Freedom of Information (Scotland) Act 2002, I must
advise you of this. By way of explanation the system only records unused
or returned budgets, rather than alternate uses.
Question 5
Please see the table below setting out returns in relation to Direct
Payments:-
2020/21 2021/22 2022/23
Returned Direct £ £ £
Payment Monies £m 0.263 0.363 0.374
Question 6
The total number of users currently receiving Self-directed Support for
each of the four options is as follows:-
2022/23
SDS1 366
SDS2 2049
SDS3 150
SDS4 29
Question 7
I can advise that the information requested is not held and in terms of
Section 17 of the Freedom of Information (Scotland) Act 2002, I must
advise you of this.
I can advise that North Lanarkshire Council, having regard to the
provisions of Section 21 of the Freedom of Information (Scotland) Act
2002, has established a procedure whereby any person who has requested
information and is in any way dissatisfied with the decision on that
request, can within forty working days require a review of that decision
by writing to the Chief Officer (Legal and Democratic), Civic Centre,
Windmillhill Street, Motherwell ML1 1AB. Accordingly, if you are
dissatisfied with this decision and seek such review please write to the
Chief Officer (Legal and Democratic).
I would advise, also, that in terms of Section 47 of the Act a person who
is dissatisfied with a notice given by the local authority under Section
21 of the Act - ie. a notice following a review of a decision by a local
authority, or by the failure of a local authority to give such a notice -
may make application to the Scottish Information Commissioner for a
decision as to whether, in any respect specified in that application, the
request for information to which the requirement relates has been dealt
with in accordance with the Act. Such an application must be made within
six months of the review decision and be in writing or in another form
which, by reason of it having some permanency is capable of being used for
subsequent reference. The application must state the name of the applicant
and provide an address for correspondence. The application must also
specify the request for information to which the requirement for review
relates, the matter which gave rise to the applicant’s dissatisfaction
with the original decision of the local authority and the matter which
gives rise to the applicant’s dissatisfaction with the decision on review
by the local authority or the failure of the local authority to issue such
a decision. The Scottish Information Commissioner can be contacted as
follows:-
Scottish Information Commissioner
Kinburn Castle
Doubledykes Road
St. Andrews
KY16 9DS
email: [1][email address]
Appeals to the Scottish Information Commissioner can also be made online
via the following link: -
[2]www.itspublicknowledge.info/Appeal
I hope this information is sufficient for your purpose. If, however, you
require further information – or I can assist in any other way – please
let me know.
Yours sincerely
Jacqueline Keachie
For Freedom of Information Co-ordinator
North Lanarkshire Council
Contact by email.
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