Personal budgets

If you've had a care and support assessment from us, we'll tell you if you're eligible for a personal budget.

A personal budget is the money allocated by us to help meet your care and support needs.

We'll help you:

• set up a care and support plan
• arrange how to manage your budget

The video below explains what a personal budget is and eligibility criteria along with how a personal budget can be used.

Care and support plan

A care and support plan will cover how you are going to use the money to achieve your goals, live independently and meet your needs.

We'll discuss with you and with the help of a family member or support worker:

• the types of support and services you'd like to buy
• how you want to receive your personal budget

Your care and support plan could include things like:

• how and where you want to live
• what is working well in your life and what needs improving
• what choices are available to meet your care needs
• what assistance you need from other people
• how you will keep safe and well, both physically and mentally
• who you might involve in helping you make important decisions
• how you will manage your support
• how this support will be met from your personal budget

You can prepare your plan by using the care and support plan template (Word, 54KB).

Managing your personal budget

You have choice and control over how you spend your personal budget. Your options include:

• help with personal care
• support to get involved in community activities
• equipment to help you stay in your home

You also have flexibility over how your personal budget is managed. You can receive direct payments or have your budget managed by the council.

Direct payments

You may be able to receive your personal budget as a direct payment.

Find out more direct payments, including:

• when they're paid
• what you can spend them on
• how to set them up
• how to manage them