Department: Direct Payments Support Team
Reporting To: Independent Living Co-ordinator Manager
Salary: £25,968.00 FTE + pay award pending
Work Hours: Various Posts/Hours Available
Contract Type: Contract
Holiday Entitlement: 20 days (FTE) plus bank holidays and Christmas closure, length of service increments.
Benefits: 6% Pension Employer Contribution, Values-Based organisation.
People First’s Direct Payment Support Service provides support to individuals who have chosen to receive a Direct Payment or Personal Health Budget to arrange their own care and support.

Who we are.

People First is an independent customer-led charitable organisation that has worked in Cumbria for over 30 years. We are passionate about our values of equality, respect, and inclusion. We provide a wide range of support and information services across Cumbria, Lancashire, and Teesside, all aimed at helping people to live informed, respected, healthy, and fulfilled lives. Our Head office is based in Carlisle, supported by offices in Barrow, Stockton and Lancashire.

The Department.

People First’s Direct Payment Support Service provides support to individuals who have chosen to receive a Direct Payment or Personal Health Budget to arrange their own care and support.

Direct Payment Support Service is about supporting customers to

  • Work with the Local Authority or NHS to design a service that fits the customers’ choices and support needs.
  • Produce a comprehensive costing plan to outline the support the customer will receive.
  • Set up Personal Assistants including Recruitment, Contracts of Employment, Job Descriptions and DBS checks.
  • Set up Payroll and Managed Account services.
  • Support throughout the customer’s journey.

The Person.

The successful candidate must believe in the core values of People First and be driven by our mission. 

An opportunity has risen for an Independent Living Co-ordinator to join our department.  The ideal person for this job will:

  • Be passionate and motivated to make a difference and have a general understanding of Direct Payments and Personal Health Budgets.
  • Have excellent communication & written skills and be Computer Literate.
  • Be organised and self-disciplined whilst managing a case load.
  • Be able to work both independently and as part of the wider team.
  • Have a current driving license and access to own transport including appropriate business use insurance.
  • Post is subject to satisfactory DBS Clearance.

We would love to hear from you if you are a ‘people person’ who is able to work well with customers and stakeholders, while maintaining the professional image of the department and wider organisation.

 Qualifications

  • Good all-round level of Education

Skills, Knowledge, and Experience

  • Understanding of Direct Payments and Personal Health Budgets.
  • Experience of working with disabled adults or children.
  • Ability to listen, engage and communicate with a range of people from customers to professionals, both face to face, written and over the phone.
  • IT literate with the ability to use Microsoft Word and Excel.
  • Numeracy skills.
  • Positive attitude to a fast-paced working environment
  • Creative, flexible, and enthusiastic approach

Duties and Responsibilities of the Post

  • To support people and their families to understand how a Direct Payment or Personal Health Budget can offer self-directed care.
  • In this post you will not be delivering the care the role is to empower individuals and support them to develop their own care and support through a Direct Payment or Personal Health Budget
  • Produce a ‘costing plan’ within the customers allocated budget to meet their needs.
  • Support customers and professionals to set up packages of care, ensuring they meet the legal requirement to employ.
  • Support customers with all aspects of employment, such as, setting up payroll, managed account services, recruitment, contracts of employment, job descriptions, DBS checks and liability insurance.
  • Ensure that PA’s have access to the training they need to perform their roles and that they take up this training, working alongside the Training co-ordinator.
  • Attend and work from the People First Carlisle/Barrow office where required.

Other Duties

The duties outlined above are not intended to be exhaustive and may change as the needs of the organisation alter in line with current agendas. Due to the developing nature of our organisation, we require staff to remain highly flexible in their approach, and work to meet the changing needs of the projects.

To Apply

If you’re interested in the role and think you’d be a good fit, we’d like to hear from you.

To apply for this position, please email a copy of your CV including details of two references, to [email protected]

or alternatively, you can post for the attention of Barry to People First Conference Centre, Milbourne Street, Carlisle, CA2 5XB

All applications should be clearly marked:

Confidential –  Independent Living Coordinator

Closing date  - 5.00pm , 11th April 2025 (may close sooner)