What is a Personal Health Budget?

What is a Personal Budget?

A Personal Budget is a sum of money allocated to an individual to meet their care and support needs. In some counties the funding ‘pots’ involved are:

• Adult Social Care (ASC)
• Primary Care Trust (PCT) Continuing Care Funds (eligibility permitting)

The person may choose to take all of the money as a Direct Payment to purchase services themselves, or have adult social care manage the budget on their behalf.

The advantage is that the person can choose to buy / do things that are not normally provided by adult social care. This may mean they get more involved in their community activities and ‘services’.

What is the process to get a Personal Budget?

The person must:

• meet ASC eligibility criteria
• complete a self assessment
• have an assessment with their Social Worker
• create an Indicative budget (based on Resource Allocation System)
• produce a Support plan (Adult Social Care then have to sign off the Support Plan)
• Implement the Support Plan

What are the benefits of a Personal Budget?

• more flexibility than a Direct Payment (DP)
• lighter touch monitoring
• like for like changes

Here are some examples of how other people have used a Personal Budget:

• Horse Riding
• Walking Equipment
• Theatre Group
• Agency PA Support
• Music Club
• Entrance costs e.g. Halo
• Singing Lessons
• College fees
• Employing own staff
• Holiday (‘short break’ for carer)

What is a Support Plan?

A Support Plan describes what a person wants to change about their life and how they will use their Personal Budget to make these changes happen.

The Local Authority has to agree that your support plan will meet your assessed needs and your plan should answer these questions:

1. What is important to you?
2. What do you want to change?
3. How will you arrange your support?
4. How will you spend your money?
5. How will you manage your support?
6. How will you stay in control?
7. What will you do next?

Services for Independent Living can provide support planning as a purchased service. For more information go to our direct payment services for more information.

Services for Independent Living can also provide support for managing a Personal Health Budget (PHB). PHBs are awarded by the NHS Herefordshire Clinical Commissioning Group, and are currently offered to anyone receiving NHS continuing healthcare but do not need to be in hospital. At the centre of your PHB is your care plan, which helps you decide your health and wellbeing goals, together with the local NHS team who support you, and set out how your budget will be spent to enable you to reach them and keep healthy and safe.

For more information about PHBs contact Herefordshire CCG, 01432 383822.