Education Act 1996

[F1 532B Pilot schemes E+W

(1) The Secretary of State may by order make pilot schemes in accordance with which direct payments may be made under section 532A.

(2) Subject to the following provisions of this section, a pilot scheme may include such provision as the Secretary of State thinks appropriate.

(3) A pilot scheme must include provision about—

(a) circumstances in which, and the descriptions of goods and services in respect of which, direct payments may (or may not) be made;

(b) descriptions of persons to or in respect of whom direct payments may (or may not) be made;

(c) conditions with which a local authority must comply before, after or at the time of making a direct payment;

(d) conditions with which a person to or in respect of whom a direct payment is or may be made may be required by a local authority to comply before, after or at the time the payment is made;

(e) the principles by reference to which the amount of a direct payment is to be calculated;

(f) circumstances in which a local authority may or must stop making direct payments;

(g) circumstances in which a local authority may or must require all or part of a direct payment to be repaid, by the person to whom the payment is made or otherwise;

(h) the monitoring of the making of direct payments, of their use by the persons to whom they are made or of the goods and services they are used to secure;

(i) the arrangements to be made by a local authority for providing persons to or in respect of whom direct payments are made with information, advice or support in connection with direct payments;

(j) treating such support to any extent as goods or services in respect of which direct payments may be made.

(4) The conditions referred to in subsection (3)(c)—

(a) must include a requirement to obtain the written consent of the person to whom a direct payment is to be made before making the payment;

(b) may include a requirement to obtain the written consent of one or more other persons before making a direct payment.

(5) The circumstances referred to in subsection (3)(f) in which a local authority must stop making direct payments must include where the consent required by virtue of subsection (4)(a), or any consent required by virtue of subsection (4)(b), is withdrawn.

(6) A pilot scheme must include provision for a sum required to be repaid to a local authority by virtue of the scheme to be recoverable as a debt due to the authority.

(7) A pilot scheme may provide for paid-for goods and services to be treated as goods and services provided or arranged by a local authority in pursuance of a statutory duty specified in the scheme.

(8) A pilot scheme may provide for paid-for goods and services to be treated in that way—

(a) to the extent set out in the scheme, and

(b) subject to any conditions set out in the scheme.

(9) The only statutory duties that may be specified are—

[F2 (a) section 42(2) of the Children and Families Act 2014 (duty to secure special educational provision in accordance with EHC plan);]

(b) section 508B(1) (duty to make travel arrangements for eligible children);

(c) section 508F(1) (duty to make arrangements for provision of transport etc for adult learners);

(d) section 509AA(7)(b) (duty to make, and secure that effect is given to, arrangements for provision of transport etc for persons of sixth form age).

(10) “Paid-for goods and services” are goods and services acquired by means of a direct payment.]

Textual Amendments

F1 Ss. 532A-532C and cross- heading inserted (15.11.2011) by Education Act 2011 (c. 21), ss. 75(1), 82(1)(f)

F2 S. 532B(9)(a) substituted (1.9.2014) by Children and Families Act 2014 (c. 6), s. 139(6), Sch. 3 para. 53; S.I. 2014/889, art. 7(a) (with savings and transitional provisions in S.I. 2014/2270 (as amended (1.4.2015) by S.I. 2015/505)