If you are eligible for support from us, a personal budget allows you to spend the money allocated for that support in a way that best suits you to stay as independent as possible.
If you are eligible for a personal budget, we will ask you to develop a support plan. This plan shows how you will spend your personal budget to get the support you need. You can work with a family member, friend, care manager or broker to develop your support plan.
Once everyone has agreed to the support plan, we will pay the agreed amount to you to cover your care and support needs.
How does it work?
- You can ask us to spend your personal budget and organise your support for you
- You can ask us to give you all or part of your personal budget as a direct payment
- A direct payment is money which adult social care pays into a person’s bank account for you to spend on a specific item or activity identified in your support plan
- You can use a broker or approved person to manage your personal budget
Whichever method you choose, your support plan will show how the personal budget will be used to meet your needs.
If you choose to have a direct payment, you will need to sign both the plan and a direct payment agreement – a contract with us outlining your responsibilities.
What can you use your personal budget for?
- support in your own home, including help with washing, dressing or household tasks
- support to access healthy meals
- support with getting out and about, meeting people and staying active
- support in accessing employment, education and training
- additional support to allow a relative or friend to take a break from caring for you
For more information on employing a Personal Assistant, see our Becoming an employer page.
Case study: Simon's story
Simon has had multiple sclerosis for the past five years. He has had support from us for the last two years because his condition had got worse. At a review, we offered Simon a personal budget. In the past, home care workers came to Simon’s home to help him get up and shower. He went to a stay centre three days a week. The rest of the time, Simon was at home with his wife and children.
Simon told his social worker that he liked his team of home care staff - they were really consistent. However, he was very bored with the day service. He thought he could do far more with his day, like attending a computer course.
Simon decided that his social worker could manage his personal budget - the part that paid for home care support and two days of day service. The money for the third day service day would come to Simon as a direct payment. He would use this money to employ his own personal assistant to help him go on a college course.
Simon said that if he couldn’t find a suitable assistant he could use an agency for support. He also said that, if this worked well, he may want to take more hours as a direct payment and less day support or vice versa. The choice was his.
Need help?
If you need help understanding or applying for a personal budget, please contact our adult social care team.