Frequently Asked Questions

 Can I get funding to pay for my support ?

You may be eligible for funding.  If you have a Social Worker you can ask them to assess you for a personal budget, if not you will need to contact Adult Social Care Contact Centre on 0113 2224401 or visit their website www.leeds.gov.uk  Ask the Duty Social Worker to contact you to discuss your personal and financial circumstances.

Who can manage my personal budget ? 

You can either manage your personal budget yourself and this is called a direct payment or you can let the local authority manage your personal budget for you. 

You can speak to your Social Worker about the local authority managing your personal budget and they will arrange for your support provider to invoice Adult Social Care.   This way you don't have to get involved in the financial aspects of your support, if you would prefer not to have this responsibility.

Alternatively if you have a direct payment, you will be invoiced by your support provider and you will be asked to make an arrangement to pay for your support on a weekly or monthly basis.    

Do I have to use up all of my weekly allocated support?

No, if you have a holiday or respite support planned, then you can bank your unused hours and use them at a later date.  This might be useful to your carer or family becsue you could arrange to build up some of your hour's and have a longer session to go on a longer activity.

Can you provide flexible support arrangements? 

At Hearts and Minds we arrange our support to fit in with your life. If you require a fixed pattern of support or want your allotted hours spread across the week, then we can accomodate whater ever your needs are.

What happens if I need to cancel a support visit?  

Wherever possible Hearts and Minds would appreciate at least 24 hours notice if you need to cancel a visit.  Obviously, this isn't always possible, but we are happy to discuss this with you.

Will I be able to meet my worker before my support begins?

Yes, it is very important to Hearts and Minds that you feel connected to the workers who are providing your support.  You will have the opportunity to discuss your needs when the inital support plan is drawn up.  If you request only female or male staff to support you then we will ensure that your request is respected.

Where is the support available?

Support is available throughout Leeds.  Please feel free to contact us and discuss your needs.   

If you have any other questions related to the support available please feel free to contact us at Hearts and Minds and we will do our utmost to help and advise without any obligation.