Councils change the organisations that they contract with to provide services from time-to-time. The council’s arrangements with Enham for managed accounts is ending and PPL is taking over as part of wider changes to how direct payments are delivered.
Supported Virtual Wallet Accounts In Southampton
Supported Virtual Wallet Accounts in Southampton
From April 2024, all individuals who previously received support from Enham Trust to manage their direct payment will transition to a supported Virtual Wallet account with PPL.
What are Supported Accounts?
Many Individuals that are using Virtual Wallet currently, do so with a ‘Self-service’ Virtual Wallet account. In these cases an individual (or a nominated representative) has a login and uses the Virtual Wallet to manage support and automatically pay providers.
For other individuals who may not use technology or who require an additional level of support we provide a Supported Virtual Wallet account. These individuals can give instructions to the PPL team (for example, over the phone or via email) who will then access their Virtual Wallet account and do things on their behalf.
In this instance Southampton City Council have arranged for all individuals who previously used a Managed Account with Enham Trust - to use a Supported Virtual Wallet account from 1st April onwards.
QUESTIONS ABOUT THE SWICTH OVER TO SUPPORTED VIRTUAL WALLET ACCOUNTS
PPL is a direct payments support service organisation. Established in 2008, PPL already work with several councils, such as Hampshire, Devon and Buckinghamshire. You can find more information at www.peopleplaceslives.co.uk.
Virtual Wallet is PPL’s solution for managing direct payments. Funds from the council are credited to each individual’s Virtual Wallet account (along with any client contributions or top-up). The individual’s care and support is managed via Virtual Wallet, which then makes payments to the individual’s PAs and providers.
Individuals can manage their Virtual Wallet themselves - or PPL can provide a ‘supported account’ service, which is basically the same as the ‘managed account’ service that you are used to.
The Virtual Wallet solution is safe and secure, and trusted by thousands of people to manage their direct payment.
Most of the changes are behind the scenes. The care and support that you arrange via your direct payment will not be affected.
Any unused balance that you have in your Enham managed account will be transferred across to your Virtual Wallet supported account.
Any payroll arrangements that you have will not change at this time.
The main change will be that you will contact PPL (instead of Enham) about any queries that you have in relation to your direct payment.
If you make a client contribution or top-up, you will need to start sending this to a different bank account. PPL will provide you with the details of this nearer the time.
One benefit is that you or someone who helps you look after your direct payments, will be able to log in to your Virtual Wallet account at any time (using a computer or phone) to check your statement.
Responsibility for your direct payment will transfer from Enham to PPL at the end of March 2024, but preparation work is starting now to ensure that the transition goes smoothly.
If you formally employ a personal assistant, none of the employment arrangements change.
Your PA will continue to submit timesheets to Enham to the schedule agreed, and they will continue to perform the payroll calculations, produce payslips and answer any payroll-related queries that you or your PA have.
Enham will tell PPL what amounts need to be paid and process the payments from your Virtual Wallet supported account. Your PA's will need to be registered on the Virtual Wallet to receive payments from us.
It will be helpful if you can mention the change to Virtual Wallet to your providers or PAs, and encourage them to visit: www.myvirtualwallet.co.uk/southampton/providers.
The PPL team will be setting up your Virtual Wallet account over the coming weeks. This includes onboarding any providers or PAs that support you, so that PPL can ensure that they are paid on-time.
It will be helpful if you can mention the change to Virtual Wallet to your providers or PAs, and encourage them to visit: www.myvirtualwallet.co.uk/southampton/providers.
The link above will enable them to register and share all the details that PPL need to set them up on Virtual Wallet.
Most of the information that PPL need to setup your Virtual Wallet account will be shared with us by the council. However, the team at PPL may need to contact you between now and the end of March to fill in any gaps or clarify a few things.
Contact details
SCC Direct Payment Support Service
Telephone: 023 8083 477
Virtual Wallet Supported Accounts Team
Chat live with us: Click the link at the bottom of this page
Email: info@myvirtualwallet.co.uk