Kent CardIssued in association with

Royal Bank of Scotland 18th November 2010

What is a Direct Payment?What is a Direct Payment?

A Direct Payment is money paid to an eligibleA Direct Payment is money paid to an eligible client to enable them to purchase their own services. It is unlawful to not offer a Direct

Payment to people who are eligible.(An eligible person is someone who is in need of

support or services from Social Services)

Brief History• A new streamlined and cost effective solution

was required for delivering direct payments• A system was needed for people who have been

excluded in the past from having a direct tpayment

• Kent County Council in partnership with The R l B k f S tl d d l d t th tRoyal Bank of Scotland developed a system that would revolutionise the direct payment process

The result was the first pre-loaded cardThe result was the first pre-loaded card programme for Direct Payment recipients

‘The Kent Card’

Launched March 2007

Why did KCC introduce Kent Card?Why did KCC introduce Kent Card?• To support the personalisation agenda in social

care and empower individualscare and empower individuals• Reduce the complexity around direct payments:

- Kent Card removes the need to negotiate the- Kent Card removes the need to negotiate the opening of a bank account

flexibility, freedom, choice and control

Social Services completes assessment

How to get a Kent Card

Social Services staff completes the application form

RBS (Royal Bank of Scotland) will post the cardpost the card to the client

Application Form

How the card works…..CARD ISSUING & LOADING

Monthly Statements & Daily

Web-access

RBSWithin

9 WorkingDaysCardholder detail spreadsheet

Funds LoadedD 3/4- Day 3/4

Crediting

Kent Card FeaturesKent Card Features

• The ability to block spending in certain Merchant groups• Cash facility is automatically restricted

M thl t t t t t th li t• Monthly statements sent to the client• KCC 24hr helpline• Personal Assistants can be paid via Kent Card• Personal Assistants can be paid via Kent Card• Cardholder can nominate an additional cardholder• Clients can add their own funds• No overdraft facility

What can the card purchase?

S i U G K t C dService User Groups on Kent CardService Users Groups within East Kent 2008-2009

Older People

Physically Disabled

Gro

ups

L i Diffi lti

Mental Health

Older People

Serv

ice

Use

r G

0 20 40 60 80 100 120 140 160 180

Learning DifficultiesS

Amount of Service Users

Kent Card (Finance monitoring) ReviewKent Card (Finance monitoring) Review

W dit K t C d t• We audit every Kent Card account• Desk top monitoring system via on line

access to bank statements• Claiming back unspent fundsg p• Reduced risk of misusing funds

Benefits for Pro iders ho accept Kent CardBenefits for Providers who accept Kent Card

• Payment credited to providers accounts directly thisPayment credited to providers accounts directly, this reduces processing time and associated costs

• Users of direct payments is set to increaseP id dd d li f UK li h• Providers are added to a list of UK suppliers that accept VISA

• Providers are added to the Kent County CouncilProviders are added to the Kent County Council website showing that they accept Kent Card

• Increase business opportunities with the facility of accepting VISAaccepting VISA

Kent Card Project Officer RoleKent Card Project Officer Role• Supporting Social Workers/Case

ManagersManagers• Provider Development • Raising awareness within the Community• Raising awareness within the Community • Information Sharing

D l i th d ith RBS• Developing the card with RBS• Supporting Clients

Award winning Kent CardAward winning Kent CardWinner at the VISA European Awards ‘B i l ibili‘Best corporate social responsibility

programme’

Kent Card was shortlisted for the Innovation and Progress at Guardian Public Service Awards 2009 and The pre-paid

C /Gawards 2009 category- Best Corporate/Government loaded programme