Care Leaver Payment – Guidance for Recipients

6. Do I need to take the payment as money?

The payment is intended to be taken in money and sent to your bank account. However, you have different options of how to take the payment:

• One instalment of £2,000;
• Two instalments of £1,000;
• Vouchers.

Your social worker can also use the payment to directly buy you something that you want and pay the provider of goods or services on your behalf.

You can also take the payment in a mixture of money to your bank account and vouchers/direct payment for goods or services if you wish. Your social worker will explain which types of vouchers you can get. You can discuss all your different options for taking the payment with your social worker.

If you do decide to take the payment as money, your social worker will discuss which bank account you want the money to go into. If you do not have a bank account, they can help you set one up.

If you decide to take the payment in two instalments, your local authority will agree, with you, a date to pay the second instalment. To make sure that you do not pay any extra tax or affect your entitlement to other benefits, the second instalment must be paid within one calendar year of receiving the first instalment.

Examples:

• You may prefer that something is purchased for you using the payment, for example, a bike or a laptop etc. Your social worker can buy this for you. If the purchase is for less than £2,000, you can ask to get the rest of the payment value in vouchers.
• You can decide that for planning purposes, you would prefer to take the payment via two instalments rather than one lump-sum.
• You can decide to get the payment in vouchers, to allow you to purchase an item or items of your choosing.
• You may want the full payment sent to your bank account when you leave care or continuing care.

After you have discussed the payment with your social worker, they will send you

a letter or email about the payment, which you can keep. It will say how you chose to take the payment and it will tell you when you will be receiving it, as well as any other details that are relevant to your specific circumstances.