Adults Personal Budgets

A Personal budget is the amount of money the Council has assessed is needed to meet someone’s eligible social care needs.

Having a personal budget is intended to give young people more choice and control over the help, support, or services they want. Having increased choice, and control over how eligible needs are met can lead to a better match of care needs and support for them.

The three options for personal budgets are:

Managed or notional budgets where the council remains responsible for the money and providing the care.

Direct Payments are where you get the money to choose the care and services and manage and take responsibility for how the money is spent.

Via a third party or Brokerage Agency, where you choose an agency to manage the budget for you. You choose them but the agency deals with the council for the money on your behalf.

You could also have a combination of the above which is the most helpful way of getting the support you need and want. Though the money comes from existing services a young person or parent may choose to spend it differently.  The council expects that something like 30% of people will make changes to the care they buy.

Who can have one?

The Care Act 2014 requires Local Authorities to carry out a transition assessment for young people who are approaching or turning 18 where there could be significant benefit to a young person or carer resulting from the assessment. This will help identify if there are likely to be support needs or to how to support in adult services where there are already identified support and care needs. 

• People with physical disabilities
• People with learning disabilities  
• Adults over the age of 18 with mental health issues who meet Hackney Council's criteria for providing care ( Fair Access to Care criteria of people who have substantial or critical needs).

The assessment should identify all the eligible needs that could be supported by adult services and should take into account the following: 

• the individuals wishes
• the need to prevent/delay the development of further needs for care and support
• the importance of the individual participating as fully as possible in relevant decisions 
• the balance of the individual's well-being and the well-being of anyone with caring responsibilities 
• the need to protect people from abuse and neglect
• the individual right to freedom as far as possible and within the context of their needs

What can I spend a personal budget on?

With personal budgets, you have greater choice and control over how you live and how your care needs are met.

You also have more responsibility for accounting for the cost, what it was spent on, and how it helped you. 

Personal budgets are worked out by looking at the money that would be spent on:

• Personal care at home
• Care provided in a supported housing setting
• Daycare and similar services (like social activities)
• Meals on wheels
• Respite services

These are sometimes called chargeable, longer term services. These are the sort of thing a personal budget can be used for.  There is more detailed information here in our policy on spending your personal budget (Word, 45KB)

What services would NOT be considered as part of a personal budget?

Money for the following things is not included in the calculation:

• Advice, advocacy or support planning
• Housing related support
• "Reablement" services (which only last for a few weeks)
• Telecare
• NHS and Health services, including continuing care (see Personal Health Budgets)  
• Transport services
• Access to Work
• Disabled Facilities Grant

What is the law relating to adult social care and personal budgets?

More information about the laws and guidance that particually affect personal budgets can be forund through these links.

The Chronically Sick and Disabled Children’s Act

Prioritising need in the context of Putting People First: A whole system approach to eligibility for social care

 The Care Act 2014