Your personal budget is the total amount of money allocated to you to meet your care and support needs, as agreed in your support plan, following your care and support assessment.
Your personal budget includes the amount:
- we will pay towards your care, and
- the amount you might have to pay towards your care
Most people have to pay towards their care unless their savings, assets and income are really low. How much you can afford to pay is worked out in your financial assessment
If you have more than £23,250 in savings and assets, you're a self-funder and will need to pay the full cost of your care and support.
How the personal budget is paid
There are 3 different ways that you can have your personal budget.
Your adult social care worker will talk to you about which is the best option for you.
Managed budget
You can have a managed budget which means the council manages the money and the support you receive. We’ll send you an invoice every month, so that you can pay your contribution.
You don’t need to worry about making payments for your care and support because we will do that for you. Your choice of provider however will be limited to the organisations we have contracts with or to the services that we provide directly.
Direct payment
A direct payment means the council will give you the money, so that you can arrange your support directly with the person or organisation you want to use instead of the council arranging services for you.
Mix of direct payment and managed budget
You can also choose to combine a direct payment for some of your care and support needs with a managed budget for other care and support needs.