Find short break providers and learn how to use direct payments for short break services.
On this page
- How Short Break offer funding works
- Short break approved providers
- Direct payment for activities
- Direct payment for Personal Assistants (PA)
- Activities and events for all children
- Short Breaks service newsletter
How Short Break offer funding works
If your child or young person is awarded a Nottinghamshire County Council short break there are a number of funded choices available.
This will depend on the number of hours you have been awarded.
For example, if you have been awarded 74 hours or under, this funding can only be used as a direct payment for activities. You may be given a direct payment pre-paid debit card to pay for these services.
To learn more, we've put together a guide about direct payments for children and young people who receive a short break.
Download the direct payment guide for short break recipients (Nottinghamshire County Council) [PDF]
Short break approved providers
If your child has been awarded 96 short break hours or above they will have the option of either a group session or a befriender with one of our approved providers. The Children's Commissioning team will contact the providers on your behalf.
Approved short breaks providers
Nottinghamshire County Council has a list of approved providers for disabled children and young people. These providers have been through tender process to be listed on our Approved Provider Framework for disabled children and young people.
Download the Approved Short Breaks Providers Directory (Nottinghamshire County Council) [PDF]
Direct payment for activities
Any successful new applications made from Monday 9th February 2026 will be awarded a Standard Offer £216 (24hrs) and will be funded via a pre-paid card.
A direct payment can be paid to you to fund activities in the community, for example:
- swimming lessons
- football lessons
- trips to the cinema
- trips to a theme park.
You can find listings of different activities on SEND Local Offer - Things to do
Funds for this will be uploaded onto a pre-payment debit card. You can buy a service by using the card in person, over the internet or using the telephone. You will only be able to make payments with the card as agreed in your Short Breaks Agreement and where there are sufficient funds on your card.
Direct payment pre-paid debit card
A pre-paid debit card works in just the same way as an ordinary debit card. Your direct
payment will be paid onto the card in line with your Short Breaks Agreement. You can buy a
product or service by using the card in person, over the internet or using the telephone.
Download our direct payment pre-paid debit card guide (Nottinghamshire County Council) [PDF]
Please note about direct payments
All direct payments are subject to an annual audit, proof of purchase for any expenditure must be retained by the direct payment recipient for 3 years and presented to the Council when requested. Direct payments are awarded annually and any unspent or misused funds will be recouped by the Council.
Direct payment for Personal Assistants (PA)
This is a direct payment paid to you to enable you to employ a Personal Assistant (PA).
A PA could be a family friend, relative, neighbour or Teaching Assistant, as long as they don’t live at the same address as the young person receiving the short break or have parental responsibility.
A DBS (Disclosure and Barring Service) check must be carried out by Nottinghamshire County Council on the potential PA before their employment can start. A PA would be paid at the current national minimum wage.
A payroll company will support you in working out your payments to the PA and the HMRC, they also give advice on being an employer.
Learn more about a Personal Assistant role or find one to provide support for your child or young person on our Personal Assistant Directory page.
You can also search for a PA in our directory using the following links:
- Personal Assistant listings - supporting those age 5 to 15 years
- Personal Assistant listings - supporting those age 16 to 17 years
Employer’s Liability Insurance for Personal Assistants
The council will provide you, as the employer, with funds to purchase Employer’s Liability Insurance on an annual basis. If, once the package finishes, your PA is entitled to redundancy pay, you will be required, as their employer, to go down a, HR route with the Employer’s Liability Insurance. Your insurance company should investigate this and determine if a redundancy payment is due.
Payroll providers for Personal Assistants
If your child or young person has been issued a direct payment for a Personal Assistant you may wish to consider using a specialist company to manage your employee payroll.
There are several companies who offer specialist payroll support services.
Purple Direct Payment Support Service
Provides assistance with payroll and start up.
Contact:
- telephone: 01245 392300
- email: info@purple-dpss.co.uk
Visit the Purple Direct Payment Support Service website
Solo Support Services
Provides assistance with payroll and start up.
Contact:
- telephone: 0345 241 5565
- email: info@solosupportservices.co.uk
Visit the Solo Support Service website
Penderels Trust
Contact:
- telephone: 02476 511611
- email: enquiries@penderelstrust.org.uk
Visit the Penderels Trust website
People Plus Group
Provides assistance with payroll and start up.
Contact:
- telephone: 0800 345666
- email: customerexperience@peopleplus.co.uk
Rosekel Resourcing
Provides assistance with payroll and start up.
Contact:
- telephone: 0115 9648212
- email: info@rosekelresourcing.com
Visit the Rosekel Resourcing website
Please note about direct payments
All direct payments are subject to an annual audit, proof of purchase for any expenditure must be retained by the direct payment recipient for 3 years and presented to the council when requested. Direct payments are awarded annually and any unspent or misused funds will be recouped by the Council.
Activities and events for all children
The following links will take you events and activities for all children across Nottinghamshire, including school holiday periods.
- School holiday events and inspiration (Nottinghamshire County Council)
- Children and Young People (Inspire Libraries)
- What's On (Visit Nottinghamshire)
- Inclusive spaces (Active Notts)
- Things to do with kids in Nottinghamshire (Primary Times)
Short Breaks service newsletter
Nottinghamshire County Council are always working to develop its Short Breaks service to meet the needs of local families. Our newsletter has the latest developments on new short break services, activities and events around the county.
Read our latest Short Breaks newsletter
