Parent/carers of a child with an Education, Health and Care (EHC) plan , or a young person with an EHC plan, can request a SEN Personal Budget either during the planning or once the plan has been issued and is under review.

You do not need to have an EHC plan to get Personal Budgets for social care or to be eligible for continuing health care, but once you have an EHC plan, or one is being prepared, you can request budgets for all areas of support. You must have an EHC plan to get a Personal Budget for special educational provision.

You do not have to request a Personal Budget if you would prefer not to have one.

There may be times when we (the local authority) may not agree to a Personal Budget. For example, Worcestershire County Council might agree that provision is needed, but at that time we are unable to take the money out, as it is part of an overall fund which supports the provision of services to a number of young people and children. If we do refuse a personal budget for special educational provision we must tell you why. You cannot appeal to the Special Educational Needs and Disability Tribunal over this refusal.

This is an emerging area and the things that may be available to be included currently for consideration are: 

• short breaks including overnight short breaks, support worker, home care support and a worker employed directly by the parent carer
• continuing health needs
• Element 3 Education funding (individual & supplementary)
• Adults’ Personal budgets

Is there anything Worcestershire County Council does not have to include in the personal budget?

Yes, the SEND Code of Practice allows Local Authorities not to include funding for provision which it is unable to separate individual funding/costs from a larger contract that meets the specific needs.

You may wish to contact the SEND Information, Advice and Support Service (SENDIASS) for help and advice. They are independent professionals who can explain the processes and support you through it.

Who can have a care personal budget?

You can have a care personal budget without having an EHCP – Education, health and care plans Personal Budget.

• children and young people up to 16 years of age who meet the eligibility criteria to receive a service from the specialist Children with Disabilities Team.
• young people aged 16 to 25 who meet the eligibility criteria to receive a service from the Young Adults Team (YAT).
• aged 25 and above the support comes from the Adult Care Team.
• for post 18 personal budgets have to meet the national eligibility from the Care Act, for more information visit Legislation - Care Act 2014 

When a child or young person is eligible the keyworker will discuss the options available for personal budgets including the use of direct payments.

What can it pay for?

Personal budgets must be used to support the outcomes identified in the Child in Need or EHC plan. It can only be spent on what is agreed in the care and support plan in supporting the person to meet their eligible social care needs.

How much do I get and who decides?

An assessment of need is undertaken. An assessment will be carried out with the family, using information from other professionals as appropriate. It is the impact the disability has on daily life that is a key part of the assessment.

The Child or Young Persons Assessment is undertaken by a social worker. From this assessment a recommendation is made as to the level of support a child or young person needs and what is to be achieved by this support. A personal budget can be requested to meet the assessed need. However, if there are universal services available that can meet the assessed need this will be offered in place of a personal budget. The management structure decides the level of support required to meet the assessed need and will allocate funding according to that need.

For post 18 personal budget following assessment the amount is agreed by the Resource Allocation System (RAS) this generates an amount that is based on the assessment and the estimates cost of meeting assessed needs. For more information see Personal budgets and direct payments for adults page.

You may wish to contact the SEND Information, Advice and Support Service (SENDIASS) for help and advice. They are independent professionals who can explain the processes and support you through it.

Help to manage a personal budget

Penderels Trust provides a full direct payment support service. This covers all aspects of managing your direct payment and most of these services are provided under contract with Worcestershire County Council if you receive community care funding for your social care. 

Since March 2015 the Council's default and preferred position is to give every direct payment recipient a pre-paid bank account (Adult Social Care only). Consideration will be given for Direct Payment to be paid into an 'old style' bank account, if this is what an individual wants. The Council will agree this providing if this meets the individual's needs and keeps them safe and well.

Who can have an education personal budget?

Parent/carers of a child with an Education, Health and Care (EHC) plan, or a young person with an EHC plan, can request a Personal Budget either during the planning or once the plan has been issued and is under review. It will be discussed throughout the statutory assessment process

What can it pay for?

The Personal Budget will be identified in the EHC plan against specific resources and outcomes expected from the use of the money. It will be used to meet the assessed needs.

How much do I get and who decides?

An indicative figure will be given. It will be set against securing the provision required in the Plan. The amount is decided by a Panel.

The final budget will be agreed once the plan is finalised.

The school or college need to agree that the money can be taken from their allocated Top Up funding.

Who can have a Health Personal Budget?

You may have a Personal Health Budget if your child is assessed as having continuing health care needs (complex needs which cannot be met by universal or specialist health services). This would be to meet needs in an agreed package of care which cannot be met by services already commissioned by the Clinical Commissioning Groups (CCGs).

You can have a personal Health budget without having an EHC Plan Personal Budget.

A child's needs are assessed as meeting the eligibility criteria set out in the government's National Framework for Children and Young People's Continuing Care (0 to18). For more information visit:

• GOV.UK - Children and young people’s continuing care national framework

For young adults aged 18 – 25, the national framework for NHS continuing healthcare and NHS-funded nursing care applies. For more information visit:

• GOV.UK - National framework for NHS continuing healthcare and NHS-funded nursing care
• NHS England - Personal health budgets for children, young people and families

What can it pay for?

It must be used to meet the assessed needs and provide the level of support identified in the care package. It cannot be used for other purposes.

How much do I get and who decides?

When a child or young person is assessed as meeting the eligibility criteria set out in the National Framework then the key worker will discuss the options available including the use of a personal health budget.

Following a health assessment and completion of a report recommending a package of care, the CCG will agree the support needed to meet the additional care needs of the individual and will allocate funding, which can be in the form of a personal health budget if requested.

You may wish to contact the SEND Information, Advice and Support Service (SENDIASS) for help and advice. They are independent professionals who can explain the processes and support you through it