Questions and
answers: personal
budgets
Jill Manthorpe
Social Care Workforce Research Unit,
King’s College London
02/07/2016
1
What is the difference between




Individual budget
Personal budget
Self directed support
Consumer directed
support ?
02/07/2016
Answer
 Not much
 Use personal budgets
 Remember the means
test & charging
 Remember eligibility
threshold
 Remember it is to meet
social care needs
2
What’s the link to Social Security
benefits eg Attendance Allowance ?
Answer
 A lot
 AA is not means tested
 You can spend it how you like or not at all
 But things may change
02/07/2016
3
Why is Hackney making changes?
The government has told it to (and given a
bit of money to help)
 Councils have agreed to do it – to get
almost all people on Personal Budgets in
the next 3 years
 It knows the budget pressures

02/07/2016
4
Why is this happening nationally?
Government & public approves of choice
 It may save money or slow down rise
 Citizen dissatisfaction with current
services

02/07/2016
5
Remind me- what were the
problems
My home care workers keep changing
 The day centre closes too early
 My mum wants to help make the tea
 My dad wants to go to the park
 I can’t get help on a Sunday
 If I complain it does no good

02/07/2016
6
So who is going to benefit?




Some people may get better support in the way
that they want it, when and where
Some people may find that they get more money
to spend (equalities) or get better value
Some people will stay at home longer and they
& carers will feel more in control
Managing the money is not hard or an
organisation may do the paperwork but
person/carer will be in charge
02/07/2016
7
But surely there will be losers?





Possibly people with substantial services that
include £ for leisure, social activities etc
Council staff if they are out of a job
Private workers who are undercut by informal
helpers
People using subsidised/bulk bought services
Voluntary sector staff whose services become
too expensive
02/07/2016
8
What else is on the cards?
Far less council provided services
 Different payments to the organisers of
care packages (travel agents don’t always
save you money)
 Problems with safety nets
 Personal budgets in health

02/07/2016
9
But what is left for the council to
do?







Decide on the money (in total) and for
individuals
Decide how to assess, monitor and to review
Offer information and advice – or get others to
do this
Make the money add up
Pump-prime in some activities
Work on reducing residential care
New roles in public health
02/07/2016
10
Enough of answers, here are
questions to discuss
Will more older people stay at home?
 Will cash stay or will it turn into vouchers?
 How will we know if this is a disaster?
 Who will do anything about losers?
 Can the Council keep £ for prevention?
 Will some services go & be missed?
 What is the scope for democracy?

02/07/2016
11