Last week we brought together local authorities from across the country for our Community Practice Network - a bi-monthly discussion space focused on different adult social care themes and challenges. Our first session explored Direct Payments, creating an opportunity for councils to share what’s really happening in practice, discuss challenges openly, and learn from peers across the sector.

While councils came from very different contexts and operating models, several consistent themes emerged throughout the conversations.

Confidence remains the defining challenge

The word that came up most often across the session was confidence.

Not just practitioner confidence in discussing Direct Payments, but confidence across the wider system - confidence in local support options, confidence from citizens and families, confidence in processes, and confidence in using budgets flexibly.

Many participants reflected that Direct Payments are still introduced too late in the conversation, often after more traditional support models have already been framed as the default. Several attendees suggested that improving uptake is less about changing policy and more about creating the conditions where practitioners, citizens and families feel confident exploring different approaches earlier.

Outcomes-focused practice: the intent is there. The gap is in doing it consistently.

Most practitioners know that good support planning starts with the person - what matters to them, what they want their life to look like, what would actually make a difference. That is not the contested bit.

What councils described is the pull in the opposite direction. Time pressure, workforce churn, the path of least resistance back to commissioned hours and service availability. The support plan ends up reflecting what the system can offer rather than what the person wants to achieve.

Several councils were direct about it: without genuine outcomes-focused support planning, Direct Payments lose their point. The flexibility and creativity that make them valuable get designed out before the conversation has even started.

Direct Payments are still perceived too narrowly

A recurring theme was that Direct Payments are still frequently associated only with employing a Personal Assistant.

In reality, councils shared a much broader range of examples, including agency support, community activities, therapy and wellbeing services, micro-enterprises and creative social opportunities. Several authorities discussed how broadening understanding - both internally and externally - is critical if Direct Payments are to become a more mainstream and flexible option.

Market shaping and local supply matter

The conversations also highlighted the growing importance of local provider ecosystems.

Councils discussed partnerships with Community Catalysts, PA training initiatives, brokerage support, voluntary sector involvement and the ongoing challenges of rural provision. There was strong recognition that even the best support planning conversations can struggle if suitable support simply does not exist locally.

For many participants, improving Direct Payments uptake is closely linked to wider market shaping activity and stronger community-based support networks.

Communities of practice are becoming increasingly important

Variation between teams within the same authority was another consistent theme.

Some teams were described as using Direct Payments routinely and confidently, while others rarely introduced them at all. Several councils highlighted the importance of Direct Payment champions, peer support, regular discussion forums, and ongoing reflective learning as ways of embedding confidence and consistency over time.

There was also strong interest in continuing cross-council conversations through communities of practice, particularly around sharing examples of creative support planning and overcoming common barriers.

Looking ahead

One of the most interesting discussions focused on the future role of AI and intelligent brokerage.

Participants explored possibilities such as conversation capture during assessments, reducing administrative burden, surfacing local support options, and helping practitioners identify creative approaches earlier in the process.

The session reinforced that the future of Direct Payments is not simply about administration or process - although simplifying these is critical. It is also increasingly about confidence, creativity, market understanding, and enabling more outcomes-focused conversations across the whole system.

Access our wider Insights Report

We’re currently developing a wider Insights Report based on Direct Payment themes emerging across the Community Practice Network. If you’d like to receive it when published, you can register your interest below.