Personal Budgets
Personal Budgets - a new way to get help!
Personal Budgets are a new way for people who need social care and support services to have greater choice and control over the services they receive.
Personal Budgets put you at the centre of everything, making sure the services you receive help you achieve the things that are most important to you.
What is a Personal Budget?
A Personal Budget is a sum of money from Adult Social Care (Social Services for adults) offered to people who need a lot of help to stay independent, safe and well.
You can use this money to choose the support you need to stay independent, safe and well.
Why Personal Budgets?
People who have a Personal Budget say it gives them more say in their life.
With a Personal Budget you can choose who will provide you with the support you need and how they will provide it!
Who can get a Personal Budget?
Anyone who lives in the Royal Borough of Kingston who needs a lot of help to keep independent, safe and well, can get a Personal Budget.
This includes, for example -
- Older people
- Disabled people
- People with a sensory impairment
- People with learning disabilities
- People with mental health needs
- People with HIV
- Family and friends (carers) supporting someone to keep independent, safe and well.
How can I get a Personal Budget?
Before you can get a Personal Budget we will need to talk to you about the kind and amount of support you need. This is called an assessment. You will be fully involved in this.
You can even choose to carry out your own assessment if you want to, or get the help of one of our staff, or another person.
If you write your own assessment it will need to be agreed by us.
Your assessment will decide if you can get a Personal Budget and how much money you will be offered to choose the support you need.
Once your assessment has been agreed, we will ask you to produce a support plan showing how you will use your Personal Budget. You can write this yourself or get help from one of our staff to write it, it’s your choice.
What can I use the money for?
There are lots of different ways you can use the money to help you keep independent, safe and well, including -
- Employing a personal assistant or support worker to help you with your personal care or daily living tasks
- Buying services such as personal care from an agency
- Taking a break
- Buying equipment such as a computer, a page turner or a personal alarm
- Paying for an adult learning class
- Buying gym membership to improve your health
- Paying for adaptations to your home to make it easier for you to live in.
What can't I use the money for?
There are a number of things you cannot use the money for. You cannot use the money, for example, to -
- Buy things that do not improve your life
- Gamble
- Do anything illegal.
Will I have to contribute to my Personal Budget?
You will have to pay a contribution towards your Personal Budget. Your contribution will depend on the amount of money you have coming in, your savings, and your financial circumstances.
We can help you to apply for any welfare benefits you may be entitled to. You will not have to pay for any information or advice we offer you or for the assessment of your needs
How does a Personal Budget work?
A Personal Budget can work in a number of ways. You can choose to -
- Have it as a cash payment to arrange and pay for your own support
- Pay it directly to the service providing support for you
- Have the Council arrange and pay for services for you
- ‘Mix and match’ cash payments and council organised services!
- It’s your choice!
Can I get help to organise my Personal Budget?
You can get as much or as little support as you want and need to organise your Personal Budget.
You can get help to do all of these things from one of our staff, a family member, a friend or an independent organisation or advocate.
You can do it yourself or get help to -
- Work out what support you need
- Make a support plan setting out how you will use your Personal Budget
- Look after and use your Personal Budget, and
- Review how things are going.
How do I apply for a Personal Budget?
To find out more, or to apply for a Personal Budget, please contact us:
Telephone: 020 8547 5005
Email:adults@rbk.kingston.gov.uk