The regulations that govern the scheme in Wales are the Community Care, Services for Carers and Children's Services (Direct Payments) (Wales) Regulations 2004, and the Community Care, Services for Carers and Children’s Services (Direct Payments) (Wales) Amendment Regulations 2006.

Visit: Community Care, Services for Carers and Children's Services (Direct Payments) (Wales) Regulations 2004 (Office of Public Sector Information website, external link)

Visit: Community Care, Services for Carers and Children’s Services (Direct Payments) (Wales) Amendment Regulations 2006 (Office of Public Sector Information website, external link)

From 1 November 2004, local authorities have had a duty to offer direct payments to all people who are potentially eligible (under the 2004 Regulations and the Children Act 1989) to receive them. The eligible groups are:

• adult persons receiving community care services;
• persons receiving carers services under section 2 (1) of the Carers and Disabled Children Act 2000;
• the following persons receiving services under section 17 of the Children Act 1989 -

  a.  a person with parental responsibility for a disabled child

  b.  a disabled person with parental responsibility for a child

  c.  a disabled child aged 16 or 17.

From 1 March 2005, the duty to offer direct payments was extended to include all people aged 65 or over in receipt of community care services.

From 1 November 2006 the availability of Direct Payments the categories of people potentially eligible was extended further to include all people aged 18 to 64 in receipt of community care services and the previous disability link was removed.

To support the preparation for, and the implementation of, the direct payments scheme in July 2004, Direct Payments Policy and Practice Guidance was issued by the Welsh Assembly Government to all local authorities in Wales.

The Welsh Assembly Government has established an external Wales Direct Payments Overview Group to provide Ministers with advice and guidance on the future development of the direct payments scheme. Its membership is drawn from local authorities and the voluntary sector and also includes two members of the public who have direct experience of managing a direct payment arrangement.

In January 2006, the Welsh Assembly Government issued a statement on the use of Direct Payments by Local Authorities and Health Organisations.

http://wales.gov.uk/topics/health/socialcare/directpayments/?lang=en