Direct Payments Sandra Gidley To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many people in England are eligible to receive direct payments; and how many of them have taken them up. Phil Hope Since 2003, councils have had a duty to offer direct payments to people found eligible for social services support. During 2007-08, around 1.75 million people of working age and older people used social care services either provided by their local council or commissioned on their behalf from private and voluntary organisations. As at March 2008, 73,540 people, including carers, used direct payments to buy the help they wanted.