Paying for support
A personal budget is the money that the local authority allocates to a person for their care. Usually a social worker or care manager will assess their needs and decide how much money is needed to make sure they get the right level of care and support.
Following an assessment, individuals have the choice of by whom, how, when and where their personal budget is spent. Each person can ask their local authority to pay their chosen support providers directly or have the money paid directly to their personal bank account, for them to pay their support provider – this is called a Direct Payment.
How to apply
Some of our services accept direct referrals, which mean you apply to them directly. Other services have an agreement with the local authority which has teams that make referrals on your behalf. You must speak to them if you would like to apply for support.
Search for a service near you using the search tool at the top of the page and contact our local team by completing the enquiry form or contact them by telephone. Our local teams will be happy to tell you about their services in more detail. After your initial enquiry we’ll provide you with an application form or direct you to your local authority team. You will need to complete further assessments in addition to your application but this will all be explained as you start the application process.