Your personal budget is the amount of money we'll pay towards any adult social care and support you need.
There are 2 ways you can receive your personal budget:
- Managed budget
- Cash budget
Managed budgets
We'll manage your money for you and arrange and pay for the care you need directly. We'll make sure you're happy with the care we arrange for you.
Cash budgets
We can pay you directly so you can spend the money on the services you need. This gives you more control and flexibility over the care and support services you choose. View our Cash Budgets Policy
What your cash budget can be used for
You can use your cash budget to pay for:
- Services you receive to meet your eligible care and support needs included in your support plan
- A personal assistant
- Services or equipment to support you to live at home independently
- Someone to support you to attend local leisure activities
- Respite care - to give your carers a short break
- A carer to support you to go on holiday
What your cash budget can't be used for
You can't use your cash budget to:
- Employ a family member or someone who lives in the same house as you to give you support unless we agree to this in advance
- Pay for your everyday living costs, for example, your bills
- Buy anything that breaks the law
- Buy anything that does not meet your eligible care and support needsincluded in your support plan
- Buy food and drink
- Buy anything for your health needs, including treatment or equipment the NHS would provide.
Help to manage your cash budget
If you're unable to manage your cash budget, you may be able to nominate someone to do this for you (usually a family member or a friend). If you're not able to nominate someone to do this for you, we might ask someone to do this for you if this is in your best interests.
You, or the person who is managing your cash budget for you, can also access support to help you manage your cash budget through a support service organisation such as a payroll provider, or accountant.
If you, or someone who is supporting you (usually a family member or a friend) is struggling to manage your finances including managing money to pay towards your care, you or they may want to consider a formal financial arrangement. Find out more about managing your money for social care
If you're not eligible for a cash budget
We'll explain why you aren't eligible and let you know what help is available and how to get it.
You can request another assessment, or challenge a decision we've made, by getting in touch with us using the contact details on this page.