Direct Payments and related services - Find a freedom of information request

Request to gather information about the council's management of Direct Payments and related services. Please could you provide the following information:

1. Outsourcing of Services

a. Does the council currently outsource the following services?

Direct Payments Support Services (e.g., assisting individuals to manage direct payment funds and ensuring compliance with relevant regulations).

Direct Payment Payroll Services (e.g., managing payroll for personal assistants or carers paid through direct payments).

b. If outsourced, please provide:

Whether this is via a framework or sole supplier.

The name of the provider(s).

The start and end dates of the contract(s).

The annual cost of each contract.

2. Functions Offered as Part of the Direct Payments Process

a. Does the council offer the following functions as part of its Direct Payments process?

Pre-paid card function for managing direct payment funds.

Independent Service Fund (ISF) option for managing direct payment funds.

Appointeeship scheme.

b. If yes, please specify:

Whether these functions are managed in-house or outsourced.

The name of the provider (if outsourced).

3. Service Delivery Details

If the above services or functions are delivered in-house, please provide:

a. The internal team or department responsible for delivering:

Direct Payments Support Services.

Direct Payment Payroll Services.

Pre-paid card functions (if applicable).

Independent Service Fund management (if applicable).
b. The annual budget allocated for these services and functions.

4. Procurement and Contracting

a. How does the council procure these services and functions?

If procured through a framework agreement, please provide:

The portal or website where the opportunities are advertised.

Whether the council has any plans to re-tender these services.

If procured through a direct tender process, please provide:

The date of the most recent tender issued for these services.

Any plans or timelines for future tender opportunities.

5. Contact Information

Could you provide the name, job title, and contact details of the person(s) responsible for:

a. Commissioning Direct Payments Support Services.

b. Commissioning Direct Payment Payroll Services.

c. Commissioning pre-paid card or ISF functions (if applicable).

d. Procurement or contract management of these services and functions.

I can confirm that the information requested is held by Lincolnshire County Council. I have detailed below the information that is being released to you.

1a. Yes the council outsources Direct Payments Support Services (e.g., assisting individuals to manage direct payment funds and ensuring compliance with relevant regulations). Yes the council outsources Direct Payment Payroll Services (e.g., managing payroll for personal assistants or carers paid through direct payments).

b. The name of the provider is Penderels Trust All contractual information is publicly available. As a local authority, Lincolnshire County Council (LCC) is required to publish all its contracts over the value of £500. All LCC contracts can be found on the Contracts Register which is available at https://procontract.duenorth.com/Login. You will need to register to access the Contracts Register but this is free to complete.

2a-b. Yes the pre-paid card function is Outsourced to AllPay

Yes the ISF ifs part of the Penderels Trust contract

Yes the Appointeeship scheme is in house/outsourced for Mental Health- Penderels Trust

3.a. n/a Outsourced b. annual budget of £459,000 in 2024-25

4a. Payment Card Services was procured through the NEPO505 framework.

The DPSS was procured through an ITT process on the Procontract tender portal.

No decisions have yet been made regarding the re-tendering of the services.

Contract details can be found on the Contract Register on the LCC website

All contractual information is publicly available. As a local authority, Lincolnshire County Council (LCC) is required to publish all its contracts over the value of £500. All LCC contracts can be found on the Contracts Register which is available at https://procontract.duenorth.com/Login. You will need to register to access the Contracts Register but this is free to complete.

5.a. Martin Samuels, Executive Director of Adult Care and Community Wellbeing. Martin.samuels@lincolnshire.gov.uk

5b – as 5a

5c – as 5a

5d – Commercial Team, People Services, commercialteampeopleservices@lincolnshire.gov.uk