What is a Personal Budget?

 

A Personal Budget is an amount of money identified to pay for the special educational provision written in an Education, Health and Care Plan (EHCP). You can only have a Personal Budget if you have an EHCP. It is designed to give parents/carers or the young person more choice and control over how some of the support in the EHCP is delivered.

Ways a Personal Budget Can Be Managed

 

  • Notional Budget / Arrangement: The Local Authority or the education setting manages the budget.
  • Direct Payment: The parent/carer or young person receives the money and manages it themselves.
  • Third-Party Arrangement: Someone else manages the budget on behalf of the family or young person.
  • A combination of the above approaches.

Who Can Have a Personal Budget?

 

A parent/carer of a child with an EHCP, or a young person with an EHCP, can request a Personal Budget when the EHCP is being prepared or during a review.

 

There is a right to request a Personal Budget, but not an automatic right to receive one.

 

Families can request Personal Budgets for health or social care support without an EHCP, but once an EHCP is being prepared or issued, they may request budgets for education, health, and social care.

What Can a Personal Budget Be Used For?

 

A Personal Budget linked to an EHCP can only be used to fund support listed in Section F of the EHCP and this must be agreed by the Local Authority. The support must help meet the assessed needs and contribute to the outcomes in the EHCP.

Examples include:

 

  • Additional tuition such as literacy or maths
  • Assistive equipment such as an iPad to support communication
  • Teaching Assistant hours
  • Therapies (speech and language, occupational therapy, physiotherapy)

Difference Between a Personal Budget and a Direct Payment

 

A Personal Budget shows what money is available and who will provide the support. The parent/carer or young person does not manage the money directly.

A Direct Payment is when the parent/carer or young person receives the money and is responsible for purchasing and paying for the services themselves.

A Personal Budget can include Direct Payments if agreed, and these can only be used for educational provision if the school or college agrees.

How Much Will I Get?

 

The amount varies depending on what is written in the EHCP. If Direct Payments are agreed, the amount must be enough to pay for the support specified.