supporting your independence: personal budgets – your ... budgets leaflet.pdf · personal budgets...

Supporting your independence: Personal budgets – your life your choice

November 2009

www.rbkc.gov.uk

2


3

Contents1. Introduction ................................................... 3

2. How do I apply for a Personal Budget? ........ 4

3. Planning your support ................................... 5

4. Managing your Personal Budget ................... 6

5. How can I use my Personal Budget? ............ 9

6. Reviewing your Support Plan ...................... 12

7. What if I have concerns about the care or support I receive? ........................... 13

8. Useful contacts ............................................ 14

2 3


If you are an older or disabled person, or a person with a long-term illness, you might need help in your day-to-day life.

This leaflet tells you about Personal Budgets for care and support, which are now part of the way we work. It is all about giving you choice and control over the services you receive.

A Personal Budget is the amount of money we think you need to pay for your support each week, based on your particular situation. Once we have told you how much you will get, we will agree with you how you can use your budget to make your own arrangements. If you prefer, we can use your budget to pay for services we arrange, such as home care or day centres.

The following pages tell you how to apply for a Personal Budget and the different options for managing the money and arranging your support.

If you have any questions on anything in this booklet, please contact the Social Servicesline on:

Tel: 020 7361 3013Email: [email protected]

Other useful contacts are listed on pages 14 to 19.

4


5

How do I apply for a Personal Budget?In order to have a Personal Budget, you will need to follow four steps.

4 5


Planning your support Your Support Plan

In order to have a Personal Budget agreed by Adult Social Care, you will need to have a Support Plan.

A Support Plan tells us how you will use your Personal Budget to meet your needs safely, in the way that suits you best. You can complete the Support Plan with help from Adult Social Care, or with family and friends.

You can also get help from an organisation which provides specific advice on Personal Budgets and how to use them, known as a community broker. Please call Social Servicesline on 020 7361 3013 for details of community brokers recognised by the Council.

Whoever you choose to help you with your Support Plan should always help you to make your own decisions.

Once your Support Plan is agreed, you will need to sign it and also sign a contract with the Council. This is called a Personal Budget Agreement, and it outlines your responsibilities in relation to your Personal Budget and how you manage it.

6


7

Managing your Personal BudgetYou can choose how you would like your Personal Budget to be managed. There are a number of options available to you:

Managing your own Personal Budget

We can pay the money into a bank account for you. This bank account needs to be a different account to your own personal account (unless your Personal Budget is under £50 per week). You are then responsible for making payments to pay for the support you have agreed in your Support Plan.

If you need help with some of the practical aspects of this, such as going to the bank, you can nominate a friend or someone in your family to do this. This needs to be recorded on your Support Plan.

Pre-paid cards

We can transfer your Personal Budget onto a debit card that we will order for you. You are then responsible for making payments to pay for the support you have agreed in your Support Plan.

6 7


This removes the need for you to open a separate bank account and enables you to view all transactions online.

You are then responsible for making payments to pay for the support you have agreed in your Support Plan, using this debit card.

Someone to act on your behalf

If you would prefer someone else to look after the money for you and take responsibility for making payments, then your Personal Budget can be paid to a friend or family member who has agreed to do this for you.

This person must be recorded in your Support Plan and in the personal budget agreement as your ‘agent’.

Community broker organisations

There are certain local organisations recognised by the Council as community brokers, who are able to hold your Personal Budget on your behalf. They then have the authority to buy and manage your support.

The organisation must record how they spend the money and show that they have only used it to pay for what you have agreed in your Support Plan.

8


9

The Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea

If you prefer to have your support services arranged by us, you can choose to have your Personal Budget managed by the Council.

The Council will also manage your budget in certain circumstances where it is not appropriate for you or a community broker to do so.

8 9


How can I use my Personal Budget?Your Personal Budget must be used to meet your needs, as agreed in your Support Plan.

Some examples of how you can use your Personal Budget are:

• helping you with personal care, such as bathing and getting dressed

• helping you with day-to-day tasks at home

• helping you get out and about

• helping you to find and pay for day activities, such as a course or a club

• getting help to find work

• paying for equipment such as a computer, which may help you to be more independent

• anything else that helps you achieve what is expected in your Support Plan.

10


11

If your budget will be used to pay someone to help you look after yourself, the easiest way to arrange this is through a care agency.

Another option is for you to find someone who can provide the support you need (known as a personal assistant). It is advisable to seek help if you are planning to employ a personal assistant, as you will be liable for tax and National Insurance payments, and ensuring that you follow employment law.

If you would like help with this, you can contact one of the community broker organisations. To get a list of these, please call Social Servicesline on 020 7361 3013.

Alternatively, you can contact Chelsea Care directly on 020 7368 3318.

10 11


You cannot use your Personal Budget to:• pay for anything illegal

• gamble

• buy alcohol or food

• pay a family member who lives with you to care for you

• pay for anything that the NHS would pay for

• pay for care outside the UK for longer than four weeks (other than in exceptional circumstances)

• pay utility bills, rent or mortgage

Please note, other sources of funding should be explored prior to the allocation of a Personal Budget.

12


13

Reviewing your Support PlanWithin a year of starting your Personal Budget, we will review your care to check that it is still meeting your needs. We will arrange to visit you at a convenient time to do this.

If there is a change in either the amount or type of care you need, or the amount of money you have, you can contact Adult Social Care and we will adjust your Support Plan and care as required. This might involve further assessment.

If at any time you have concerns about the people providing your care or support, you can contact the Social Servicesline on 020 7361 3013.

12 13


What if I have concerns about the care or support I receive?All of the organisations in Kensington and Chelsea are committed to preventing the abuse of adults and responding promptly when abuse is suspected. Abuse can be defined as the mistreatment of an individual or group by another individual or group, often resulting in a violation of human and civil rights.

The abuse can vary from treating someone in a disrespectful way which significantly affects their quality of life, to causing actual physical suffering. Abuse can be physical, sexual, psychological, emotional, financial, discriminatory or neglect.

If at any point you have concerns about the care and support you or someone you know is receiving, please contact the Social Serviceline on 020 7361 3013 or your community broker if you have one.

14


15

Useful contactsSocial Servicesline Tel: 020 7361 3013Email: [email protected]

You can also visit:

Customer Service CentreKensington Town Hall Hornton Street London W8 7NX (Open from Monday to Friday, 8.30am to 5pm)

People with hearing impairments can contact our Sensory Impairment Team on minicom 020 7937 7232 or SMS 07980 211335.

14 15


Local organisations

Action Disability Kensington and Chelsea (ADKC)Tel: 020 8960 8888Minicom: 020 8964 8066Email: [email protected]: www.adkc.org.uk

Support for disabled people in Kensington and Chelsea. ADKC can give you information and advice (for example, benefits you may be entitled to) and help with filling out forms.

Age Concern Kensington and Chelsea (Incorporating Sixty Plus)Tel: 020 7471 5555Email: [email protected]: www.ackc.org.uk

Information and advice for older people on issues such as housing, benefits and transport. Provides services such as home bathing, toenail cutting, shopping, gardening and support for people with dementia.

Also offers volunteer services which include befriending and escorting or the opportunity to

16


17

become a volunteer and provide these services to others in the community.

Chelsea Care Tel: 020 7368 3318Email: [email protected]: www.chelseacare.com

An independent organisation set up by the Council. It provides independent advice, guidance and help to plan support to allow people to enjoy life as much as possible. It also provides practical and personal support within the home.

Equal People Tel: 0844 980 8667Website: www.equalpeoplekc.org.uk

A service for people with learning disabilities, which supports people to live independent lives.

Vitalise Home Services Tel: 020 7376 4640Email: [email protected]: www.vitalise.or.uk

Vitalise is a national charity providing essential services for disabled people and carers.

16 17


Vitalise Homecare offers disabled and older people a tailored package of personal care, domestic support and companionship.

Vitalise Homeshare arranges live-in support for frail or isolated older people and those with long-term health conditions.

18


19

National organisations

Care Quality Commission (CQC) Tel: 03000 616 161Email: [email protected]: www.cqc.org.uk

Inspects registered care services, including home care agencies, care homes and councils. It provides a number of information leaflets about social care and how to choose a service that is right for you.

National Benefits enquiry line Freephone: 0800 882 200

Information about the benefits you may be able to claim.

Carers UK Tel: 0808 808 7777Website: www.carersuk.orgAdvice and information for carers.

NHS Direct Tel: 0845 46 47Website: www.nhs.uk

18 19


24 hour health advice. They can also give you information about GP practices and health service near you.

Your GP will be able to tell you about district nurses, who can help you with things such as changing dressings or managing incontinence.

EnglishInformation from this document can be made available in alternative formats and in different languages. If you require further assistance please use the contact details below.

Arabic

Farsi

French Les informations présentées dans ce document peuvent vous être fournies dans d’autres formats et d’autres langues. Si vous avez besoin d’une aide complémentaire, veuillez utiliser les coordonnées ci-dessous.

Portuguese A informação presente neste documento pode ser disponibilizada em formatos alternativos e em línguas diferentes. Se desejar mais assistência, use por favor os contactos fornecidos abaixo.

Somali Macluumaadka dokumentigan waxaa lagu heli karaa qaabab kale iyo luuqado kala duwan. Haddii aad u baahan tahay caawinaad intaas dhaafsiisan fadlan isticmaal xiriirka faahfaahinta hoose.

SpanishLa información en este documento puede facilitarse en formatos alternativos y en diferentes idiomas. Si necesita más ayuda por favor utilice la siguiente información de contacto.

Social Servicesline Tel: 020 7361 3013Email: [email protected]

© November 2009. The Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea.

PIRS Design 020 7361 4325. 13057jcw. Illustrations © Nic Watts 2009.

supporting your independence: personal budgets – your ... budgets leaflet.pdf · personal budgets...

Documents