Across the last 12 months, UDirect Support as focused on strengthening various aspects of our service. From the way customers can access our service, to how the team is supported and empowered in their roles.
Across the last 12 months, UDirect Support as focused on strengthening various aspects of our service. From the way customers can access our service, to how the team is supported and empowered in their roles.
This year we launched the UDirect Support Virtual School Gate for families receiving children’s Direct Payments in Westmorland and Cumberland. This new online community was created in response to what parents and carers consistently tell us: that caring for a child with a disability can be deeply rewarding, but also incredibly isolating. Many families shared that they didn’t always have someone to talk to, didn’t know where to find reliable information, or felt unsure about what support was available to them.
The Virtual School Gate is designed to change that. The group provides a safe, private, and supportive space for parents and carers to connect with one another, share ideas, ask questions, and build a sense of community. It acts as a hub of trusted information, including webinars, practical resources, and signposting to local activities, groups, and services. It’s a place where families can learn from each other’s experiences and feel understood without having to explain their world from scratch.
To make joining simple, every parent receiving a children’s Direct Payment package received a letter with their unique reference number, giving them exclusive access to the group. We encourage members to get involved at their own pace, whether posting questions, sharing stories, offering tips, or simply reading along until they feel comfortable taking part.
Even at this early stage, the impact is already clear. Families are beginning to form connections, share lived experience, and support one another through the everyday highs and lows of caring for a disabled child. Parents who previously felt alone now have a space where they feel seen, heard, and understood. As the group develops, we will continue to design content specifically for these families, ensuring the Virtual School Gate becomes a meaningful, long-term source of community, reassurance, and empowerment.
This year, UDirect Support focused on strengthening how people access our services and how we deliver support. We introduced several new tools designed to make the customer experience clearer, quicker, and more empowering. These developments were driven by feedback from families and staff, and all aim to give people greater confidence as employers and Direct Payment holders.
We created a single point of access for customers through a new online Hub. This space brings together information, guidance and resources in one place, helping customers quickly find answers to common questions without always needing to contact their Independent Living Coordinator (ILC).
By making information clearer and more accessible, the Hub has already began to help customers feel more informed and confident. It has become a friendly first step for customers looking for practical advice, support, or help on navigating their direct payments and personal health budgets.
To improve how referrals are managed, we launched a new online referral form designed to streamline the process and reduce waiting times. The form feeds directly into our new CRM system, ASAP, cutting down on manual data entry while maintaining 100% confidentiality.
A new triage process ensures every enquiry goes straight to the right person, helping customers receive the quickest and most appropriate support. All referrals are currently being actioned within 2 working days.
Based on insight gathered through focus groups, we developed a set of customer toolkits designed specifically for people receiving Direct Payments and Personal Health Budgets. Families told us they needed something tangible they could keep at home - a resource to refer back to when managing their support package or employing Personal Assistants.
ILC's now take the toolkit with them when visiting customers in their own homes to help set up new packages. The toolkit strengthens understanding, builds confidence, and supports customers to feel more secure in their responsibilities as employers.