Funding

Funding your attendance at the Harbour Club can be paid privately, by Social Services, Direct Payments or a combination of the two.

Direct Payments are local council payments for people who have been assessed as needing help from social services, and who would like to arrange and pay for their own care and support services instead of receiving them directly from the local council.

Eligibility

If you already receive social services
Your local council must offer you the option of direct payments in place of the services you currently receive. There are some limited circumstances where you are not given the choice. Your council will be able to tell you about these.

If you are not receiving social services
To get direct payments, you need to contact your local council to ask them to assess your needs. Social services - and therefore direct payments - are normally available if you are:

• disabled or restricted in some way
• a carer, including people with parental responsibillity for a disabled child
• an older person

Social Services can be contacted by telephone: Essex Social Services: 0845 603 7630 Southend Social Services: 01702 352641

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“My dad loved going to The Harbour Club, it gave him back his confidence, he was going out and socialising.”  Chris – Wickford