About personal budgets

A personal budget is one part of a personalised approach to supporting children and young people with additional needs. It allows you to choose how and when you receive support so that you can maintain independence and control. It's an amount of money which is planned and agreed between you or someone who represents you, and the local authority or NHS Integrated Care (Stockport).

A personal budget is not new money, but it may mean spending money differently so that you have more choice and control over the support that you need. It can be used to support a child or young person's identified:

  • social and care needs
  • health and wellbeing needs
  • educational needs, where the child or young person has an Education Health and Care Plan (EHCP)

It can also support services such as travel assistance or a specific piece of equipment such as a wheelchair.

Visit the My Care Budget website for more information about personal budgets.

Read our education, health and care personal budgets and direct payments policy.

How a personal budget can be provided

You can choose to receive your personal budget as a direct payment so that you can arrange and pay for your own support, or we can arrange your support for you. You can also choose a combination.

Direct payments

You receive the money to contract, purchase and manage services yourself. Your direct payment can be used to:

  • employ your own personal assistant
  • pay for support from a service provider of your choice
  • pay for other ways to meet your needs

Direct payments are paid as a lump sum if you need equipment or every 4 weeks, in advance for regular and ongoing needs. They are for you to spend on the outcomes agreed in your care and support plan. They put you in control of the care you receive and give you more flexibility over how your care and support is provided.

If you need help with direct payments, you can contact our brokerage service.

An arrangement

The local authority, school or college holds the funds and commissions the support specified in the plan. This is sometimes called a notional budgets.

Third party budget

Money is paid to an organisation on your behalf and they manage the budget and arrange your care and support.

Managed account

If it's been agreed that you need support to manage your account, you can choose any of the following providers to support you:

When you've chosen a provider, you should tell your linked worker. They will then help you to make a formal referral.

More information

For more information about personal budgets and direct payments, speak to your linked worker. This could be your social worker, nurse assessor or EHCP caseworker.