The Cabinet Member Signing meeting of Haringey Council was scheduled to discuss the extension of a contract with Disability Action Haringey (DAH) for the provision of direct payment peer support and personal care assistant services. Councillor Das Neves, Cabinet Member for Health, Social Care & Wellbeing, was expected to make a decision on the recommendation.

Direct Payment Peer Support and Personal Care Assistants

A report was prepared for Councillor Das Neves, Cabinet Member for Health, Social Care & Wellbeing, recommending the extension of the contract with Disability Action Haringey (DAH) for direct payment peer support, personal assistants market development, and recruitment and matching services. The proposed extension would be for a period of six months, from 1 April 2026 to 30 September 2026, at a cost of £100,000. This would bring the aggregated total value of the contract to £596,000.

The report noted that Disability Action Haringey (DAH) was initially awarded a two-year contract in April 2024, with the option to extend for a further six months. Contract monitoring meetings have reportedly shown that Disability Action Haringey (DAH) is providing a good service that meets contractual outcomes. According to the report, between April 2024 and September 2025:

• The number of direct payment holders increased from 600 to 730, representing 23.5% of community clients.
• 275 new and existing referrals were supported, with 187 achieving outcomes linked to independence and wellbeing.
• Disability Action Haringey (DAH) held 188 outreach sessions, 32 staff inductions, and 17 peer forums with over 100 attendees.
• There are 60 active personal care assistants on the register, supported via drop-ins and training.
• Service users reported 100% satisfaction for accessibility and quality, and no complaints were received.
• Disability Action Haringey (DAH) secured external funding from Skills for Care¹ and Big Lottery Fund² to expand training and information, advice and guidance provision.

100% of clients reported being better informed and confident in managing their DPs.

100% rated service quality as excellent for accessibility and responsiveness.

Zero complaints received since service inception.

Case studies consistently evidence improved quality of life, increased autonomy, and greater participation in community activities.

The report stated that Haringey Council's levels of direct payment users are in line with the national average, and that the council operates a dedicated Direct Payments team and a commissioned partner for direct payment support. The report also noted areas for development identified by the Care Quality Commission (CQC)³, including inconsistent exercise of choice and challenges in market capacity to support self-directed care. The report claims that the peer-based model delivered by Disability Action Haringey (DAH) addresses these gaps directly.

The report argued that failure to extend the current contract would result in significant disruption for existing and potential direct payment holders, and would place the council at risk of failing to meet its statutory duties under the Care Act 2014⁴, the Care and Support (Direct Payment) Regulations 2014, and Section 117(2C) of the Mental Health Act 1983⁵. The report also stated that it is not feasible to undertake a full procurement exercise at this stage due to the close proximity of the current contract expiry and the ongoing strategic review of support services for direct payment recipients.

The report stated that the Better Care Fund (BCF)[^7] fully meets the peer support cost, and that no changes are proposed to the Better Care Fund allocation for 2026/27.

The Director of Legal and Governance (Monitoring Officer) reportedly found no legal reasons preventing the approval of the recommendation in the report.

The report stated that the decision to extend the contract for the existing provision will have a positive impact, advancing equality of opportunity for those with protected characteristics, in particular adults with physical disabilities or mental health disorders and older people age 65+ with eligible care and support needs.