Pre-paid debit card

Changes to pre-paid debit cards

Before 1 April 2025, families may have been offered a pre-paid debit card to find and buy their own activities, services and items. This is a form of Direct Payment. The pre-paid cards will remain in place for these families until their child's next full review. During that review, the Short Breaks team will look with you at the activities that have been purchased on the pre-paid card and explore the type of short break required to meet your child or family's needs. It might be you can now access the same or similar activities through the new list of approved providers that are quality assured by the County Council.
 
From 1 April 2025, if you are assessed as needing a Short Break under the new Circle of Support model, you will still have similar options, but provided in a different way. Instead of families having to find and buy activities themselves, they will be able to choose from a range of activities or services from our list of approved providers. This will take the pressure off you needing to find, organise, monitor and account for the activities and payments. These activities and services are all quality assured by the County Council.  

These activities have been identified by looking at the most popular activities that have been purchased with pre-paid debit cards over the past few years and so you will likely find familiar activities. 

If there is an activity or service required to meet your child's assessed needs and outcomes that isn't currently available on the list of approved providers, our Short Breaks Inclusion Coordinators will try to arrange this on your behalf. However, where we're not able to do this, or it's identified your child would benefit from a specific item or a (UK-based) family holiday, the Short Breaks team will be able to organise these for you. Alternatively we may offer you a pre-paid debit card for that specific activity, item or UK-based family holiday. The team will discuss this with you when setting up your child's Short Breaks plan.

Please note: all other information on this page only relates to those families who currently have a pre-paid card.

How to pay for activities and items

• Use your pre-paid debit card like a normal debit card, with chip and pin or contactless. It can be used online and in a store, or 
• Set up a direct debit from your Short Breaks pre-paid bank account, or
• Make a one-off payment from your Short Breaks pre-paid bank account (a BACS payments)

You cannot withdraw cash from your Short Breaks pre-paid bank account. Therefore, you cannot pay for any activities or services with cash.

Watch this short video for more information on direct payments

Do not use your own bank account 

Do not pay for any Short Breaks activity or item from your own bank account. Unfortunately, we cannot issue reimbursements if you use your own account.

Do not save your pre-paid debit card details on websites

Do not save your pre-paid bank card details on any websites. This is to prevent non-Short Breaks purchases being paid for using your pre-paid bank card. If you do purchase something accidentally, you will have to pay the funds back into your pre-paid bank account.

Keep itemised receipts and invoices

You must get a detailed itemised receipt or invoice every time you use your Short Breaks funding and the pre-paid bank card. We cannot accept just a debit card receipt. We need receipts to check exactly how funding has been spent.

Itemised receipts should be uploaded online to your pre-paid bank account provider EML. You can download instructions on how to do this from the self-managed bank account web page. If you have difficulty uploading receipts and invoices, contact the Direct Payment Support Service (DPSS) by email dpcst@norfolk.gov.uk or call 01603 223392.

If you cannot upload your receipts online, do keep them. We can give you a recording sheet for each receipt. Attach the receipt to the back of the sheet ready to send to us at your child's Short Breaks plan renewal date, or sooner if we ask you to. Contact the Short Breaks team to ask for receipt recording sheets or you can email receipts to the team.

Keep copies of all receipts in case there are any queries later. We are audited every year to check that funding is being used as agreed in your Short Breaks plan.

If you forget to ask for a receipt or invoice or lose it   

You will need to pay the Short Breaks funds back into your pre-paid bank account if you cannot show how money was spent. If you are not able to do this, we will deduct the funds from your Short Breaks budget next year.

Card not working, lost or stolen

Card not working

If you have problems with your Short Breaks pre-paid bank card, or have not received the PIN number, contact the bank directly using the telephone number on the back of your card.

Unfortunately, the Short Breaks team cannot help with any issues with the pre-paid bank card not working.  

We cannot reimburse any spending that has taken place because the card was not working. Please ensure you have enough personal funds available on a trip out to avoid disappointment.

Card is lost or stolen

1. Call the bank EML on 0203 633 1625. They will put a stop on the card for security purposes.
2. Contact our direct payments admin team on 01603 638170 to request a replacement card

If you need to change your name or other contact details

If you need to change your name, address, phone number or other contact details call the Direct Payment Support Service (DPSS) on 01603 223392, option 1.

How to check your account balance

You can check your account balance online via your pre-paid bank account provider EML. You can download instructions on how to do this from the self-managed bank account web page.

You cannot check your Short Breaks account balance at an ATM.

Unauthorised spending

If you buy items or pay for activities that cannot be paid for with Short Breaks funding, you must repay the money.

We monitor all Short Breaks bank accounts online to check payments are in line with what has been agreed in your child's Short Breaks plan. If we notice any problems with payments, we will suspend the account so you cannot use it. We will contact you to discuss those payments and what the next steps will be. You can find further information in your direct payment terms and conditions. 

Specified and non-specified funding 

There are 'specified' and 'non-specified' funding allocations in a Short Breaks plan.

Specified funding

Your plan will detail any specified funding. This is funding that is only for a specific activity. The activity should be a regular and reliable and your child or young person will take part in it throughout the year. The plan must explain the associated positive outcome for your child or young person.

You might also get specified funding for a personal assistant (PA). 

If you have receive funding for a specific activity for your child that is written in their Short Breaks plan, other family members cannot use it. 

Non-specified funding

Your plan will not say how any non-specified funding you are awarded must be spent. However, all items and activities must meet your child's needs and outcomes.

Non-specified funding can include family activities, annual passes, toys and play equipment and UK-based holiday accommodation.

You must submit receipts or invoices to the Short Breaks team when you spend non-specified funding.

You can use non-specified funding in your Short Breaks plan to pay for activities for:

• Your child who is in the plan
• Other family members in your household

Find local activities 

Search the Norfolk Community Directory to find activities near you

Safeguarding

It is your responsibility as a parent carer to ensure that the activity provider:

• Has a clear safeguarding policy 
• Carries out DBS checks (if applicable)

Family activity tickets and annual activity passes

You can use the non-specified allocation of Short Breaks funding for family activity tickets and annual passes. You can buy tickets and passes for your child and for family members who live in the same household.

Activity subscriptions

You can use funding for a physical activity subscription you get delivered to your home. This physical activity must meet your child's needs and outcomes. 

For example, a gardening, science, child's cooking or baking subscription that provides equipment. 

You cannot use funding for:

• Magazine subscriptions
• Digital or online subscriptions. For example, Amazon Prime, Amazon Video, Netflix, Xbox Live etc.
• General food subscription services for adults or families

You must submit receipts or invoices to the Short Breaks team when you spend non-specified funding.

Not sure if something is suitable?

Contact the Short Breaks team in advance if you are not sure if we allow spending on a certain activity. 

Toys and play equipment

You can spend up to £250 from the non-specified allocation of Short Breaks funding on toys, games and play equipment. These items:

• Must only be for your child 
• Must support your child's interests or activities and agreed positive outcomes
• Must be age and/or developmentally appropriate for your child
• Must come from a reputable retailer who offers a guarantee or returns policy

You must submit receipts or invoices to the Short Breaks team when you spend non-specified funding.

Examples of toy and play equipment 

• Garden play equipment
• Arts and crafts items
• Technological equipment to use in the family home under parent carer supervision. Equipment should be for fun and entertainment purposes. This could be a games console with age or development appropriate games, a computer or a tablet/iPad.
• Essential sports uniform or equipment to take part in a Short Breaks activity. This must be a regular activity.  For example, football boots or a cycle helmet. 

You cannot use funding for:

• Sensory equipment, such as weighted blankets or sensory toys
• Technological equipment to use outside of the family home or designed to be mobile. For example, mobile phones and smart watches.
• Electronic games for children outside of the approved age ratings
• E-bikes and e-scooters
• DVDs
• Second-hand items. This is because the seller cannot ensure product safety and does not usually offer a returns policy.
• Anything that requires a medical professional's input to buy

Not sure if something is suitable?

Contact the Short Breaks team in advance if you are not sure if we allow spending on a certain toy or play equipment. 

UK-based holidays and overnight stays

You can choose to use the non-specified allocation of Short Breaks funding for a family holiday or a short break with an overnight(s) stay.

The following criteria applies:

• The holiday accommodation can only be in the UK and must be for your child and other members of your household only
• You can only use the funding to pay towards accommodation costs. You cannot use it for travel, food or drink costs.
• You can spend as much as you like from the non-specified activities budget allocation of Short Breaks funding 
• The holiday must take place within the start and end dates of your Short Breaks plan
• You cannot take a holiday during school term-time.

We will ask parent carers to complete a form to show how the holiday had a positive impact on your child and family.

Paying for holidays and overnight stays

If you choose to spend any non-specified funding on a holiday or ovenight stay, you can use your own money to top up any difference in cost.

To do this you must:

1. Add your personal funds to your Short Breaks pre-paid bank account before booking the holiday
2. Use your Short Breaks pre-paid bank card to pay the amount

You cannot use a personal bank account to pay for a holiday booking then reimburse yourself. We do not allow this.