Understanding personal budgets and direct payments If you are eligible for Council care and support, you will be allocated a personal budget. This is the amount of money that the Council may pay towards your needs as identified in your needs assessment. Initially, this will be an estimated sum of money and the final amount will be decided when your care and support plan is complete. To find out more about personal budgets in Stokeon-Trent, call 0800 561 0015. Please note, this is separate to a personal health budget, which is the amount of money your local NHS team may pay to meet your health needs. For more information on personal health budgets, visit www.nhs.uk/personalhealthbudgets If you are eligible, you can ask for your Council to pay your personal budget contribution directly to you. This will allow you to buy and arrange your own care and support. This is called a direct payment. Direct payments give you greater choice, control, freedom and flexibility over what care and support is delivered to you. Examples are (but are not limited to)*: •
care or support in your home – for example, help with personal care or making a meal;
•
help with social activities – such as attending college courses or getting out and about in the community;
•
equipment or minor works to your home to help you with day-to-day living;
•
support to provide cover when your carer goes
on holiday/has a break from the responsibilities of their caring role; or •
employing a personal assistant – this could be a friend, neighbour or family member, as long as they don’t live with you.
*Restrictions and conditions apply to all listed. Direct payments are usually paid into a bank account (which must be separate from your main bank account) or, in Staffordshire, onto a prepaid card. In choosing a direct payment, you will be responsible for: •
arranging the support;
•
making the necessary payments;
•
keeping track of what’s left in your budget;
•
showing the Council on a regular basis how you are spending your money; and
•
(if applicable) all employment-related matters in employing a personal assistant.
The Council will support you to set up systems to help you manage and organise your direct payments and will also provide help with employing a personal assistant. If you are unable to understand or manage your direct payments, they may still be accessible via a ‘suitable person’ or a ‘managed account.’ The Council will be responsible for making sure that you are willing and capable of managing your direct payments with, or without, support.
Search for care in your area www.carechoices.co.uk With so many providers to choose from, where do you start?
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Find care providers quickly and easily Search by location and care need Information on care quality Links to inspection reports Additional information, photos and web links Brochure requests
Visit www.carechoices.co.uk for further assistance with your search for care
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