Personal budgets and direct payments
Your personal budget will detail the cost of care needed and a breakdown of how this cost is shared between you and the council.
You can choose to receive your personal budget in the following ways:
- The council arranges and pays for your care and support.
- You receive a direct payment so that you choose and pay for your care and support to meet your assessed needs.
- A combination of council arranged services and a direct payment.
Direct payments
A direct payment can enable you to have increased choice and control in arranging and purchasing your care and support. You may wish to purchase a specific service or employ a personal assistant to help you meet your assessed needs.
If you've been assessed as eligible for us to cover some of the costs of your care, then you may be able to request a direct payment. There are some conditions that you need to meet to have a direct payment. Your worker will let you know about these.
Find out more about direct payments for social care
This allows you to receive a payment from us to pay for your own choice of care. However, it must be used to pay for care deemed to meet the needs established in your needs assessment, and can't be used to buy things like clothes or food.
If you're eligible to make a contribution towards the cost of your own care, then this will be deducted from direct payments.