On 26th June, David Howard Payroll Services was proud to attend the National Direct Payments Forum (NDPF), joining professionals, organisations and advocates from across the direct payments sector to discuss the latest developments, challenges and opportunities shaping independent living.
The forum provided an excellent opportunity to share knowledge, collaborate with sector colleagues and explore how we can continue to strengthen support for people who use direct payments.
The day opened with a welcome from NDPF Chair, Pat Stack, followed by the exciting announcement of this year's National Direct Payments Forum Conference, "Reigniting the Future of Direct Payments: The Power of the Right Support," which will take place in London on Thursday 5th November 2026.
The conference promises to bring together experts, providers and people with lived experience to continue important conversations around the future of direct payments and independent living.
Vici Richardson from Disability North introduced the Spirit of Direct Payments training package, focusing on the values and principles that underpin the direct payments model.
The session highlighted the importance of ensuring everyone involved in delivering direct payments understands not only the practical processes but also the core purpose: enabling choice, control and independence for individuals.
The discussion that followed reinforced the need for high-quality training across the sector to maintain these principles as services continue to evolve.
We were delighted that Emma Barnes represented David Howard Payroll Services with a presentation on the new changes in Payroll that impact on direct payment budgets.
The session explored the impact of recent changes to statutory sickness pay has on day to day budget considerations for many direct payment service users.
Providing knowledge and support to direct payment users regarding payroll changes, to both service users and local authorities will help individuals remain compliant with employment legislation while allowing them to focus on living independently.
The accompanying Q&A generated valuable discussion around payroll best practice, employer responsibilities and the ongoing support available to people managing direct payments.
Rachel Harkin from the Independent Living Group (ILG) delivered an informative session on TUPE (Transfer of Undertakings (Protection of Employment)), explaining how employment rights are protected when services transfer between companies, but that this is less clear when transfer between direct payment service users PAYE schemes.
The session provided practical guidance and answered many questions.
Following the break, David Ashley from the Independent Living Group provided an update on the Roadmap to Independent Living.
It highlighted the importance of collaboration between government, local authorities, support organisations and providers to ensure people receiving direct payments continue to have genuine choice and control over their care and support.
The forum concluded with an update from Pat Stack on Personal Assistant Employment Status, a topic that remains highly relevant for direct payment employers.
Understanding employment status is essential to ensuring legal compliance, protecting both employers and personal assistants, and providing clarity around employment rights and responsibilities. The session offered useful insights into ongoing developments and the potential implications for the sector.
The National Direct Payments Forum once again demonstrated the value of bringing together organisations committed to improving outcomes for people using direct payments.
For David Howard Payroll Services, a proud sponsor of the Forum, attending and presenting at the forum reinforced our ongoing commitment to supporting direct payment employers with expert payroll, pension and employment support. We are grateful to the National Direct Payments Forum for hosting such an informative event and look forward to continuing these important conversations at the NDPF Conference in November.
We would also like to thank everyone who attended Emma Barnes' presentation and contributed to the engaging discussions throughout the day. Events like these help ensure the direct payments community continues to share knowledge, address challenges and work collectively towards a stronger future for independent living.
Please find below a link to the presentation Slides for the payroll presentation