Self-managed bank account

A self-managed pre-paid bank account means you will be responsible for making all payments for care services as recorded in your care and support plan (adults) or short breaks plan (children).

What a self-managed bank account means for you

We open a bank account for you in the name of the person receiving support through the direct payment, and the person who signed the terms and conditions. You will receive a telephone call, email or visit to discuss the self-managed bank account and what the Terms and conditions (adults) (PDF) [183KB] or Terms and conditions (children's) (PDF) [157KB] are of having a direct payment. Please tell your adult or children's worker your preferred communication method: easy read, large print, email or telephone.

You will need to provide two forms of identification before we can open a self-managed bank account for you. You will also need to return to us a signed copy of our Direct Payment Terms and Conditions.

You will have access to an online banking portal which lets you:

• View your direct payment balance
• Make one-off payments
• Set up regular payments
• Upload invoices and receipts received from care services you have paid
• View and print bank statements

You will receive a bank card by post, you will need to follow the instructions in the accompanying letter to activate the card.

If you need any support to set up and manage payments online, or would like to make a telephone payment contact EML, our prepaid account provider, on 02036 331625. You can also contact EML via email at NorfolkCC@emlpayments.com.

Read our prepaid account manual for cardholders (PDF) [2MB] for help using your card.

Keeping records and using your direct payments funds

You'll need to keep a record of payments made from the account. 

This includes the following:

• For Adult Social Services direct payments, receipts are needed for purchases more than £50: we may request to see evidence of these receipts.
• Children with Short Breaks budgets, receipts are required for all purchases
• Invoices from self-employed personal assistants and agencies

You can record explanatory notes (for example, explaining what the payment was for where the name of the company may not relate to the service paid for).

If you no longer want to manage the money yourself or feel unable to, let your care assessor know or contact our Direct Payment admin team by emailing dpadmin@norfolk.gov.uk, or call 01603 638170.