Real Life Stories

Through the voices of services users and carers, Buying Freedom tells of the creative ways people use Direct Payments to support them to live the lives they choose. Buying Freedom shows how Direct Payments have transformed the way that services are provided to enable people to continue with family life and play an active role in their communities.

Select a story to find out more...

	John and Mildred Gill. Mildred has dementia and they use Direct Payments to employ personal assistants to help Mildred with all of her daily needs. ------------------------------------------------------------
	Ismay Mannix uses Direct Payments to assist with all of her personal care and daily living needs. ------------------------------------------------------------
	Emma Powell, through Direct Payments, has a number of personal assistants who support her to access social activities as well as support her at home. ------------------------------------------------------------
	Martin Jones shows how Direct Payments have helped Martin to gain confidence and skills through work experience. ------------------------------------------------------------
	WINGS Group combine their individual Direct Payments to cover the costs of running the group, such as venue hire, transport and activities. ------------------------------------------------------------
	Winston Davies goes on to outline some of the responsibilities that using Direct Payments involves and how this has enabled him to take an active role and contribute to his local community. ------------------------------------------------------------
	Jan Bentley explains how she employs personal assistants with Direct Payments to help her to live in her own home and be in full control of her daily life. ------------------------------------------------------------