Personal Budgets for Social Care

Children’s Social Care (including Child in Need, Child Protection and Early Help)

Accessing support from children’s social care starts with an assessment of need, either via an Early Help assessment, a Short Breaks assessment or Children and Families (combined) assessment.

Based on the outcome of the assessment, direct payments may be offered as an alternative to a service delivered by the local authority in order to support the child or young person.

Any budget allocated to a young person can be managed:

• as a Direct Payment to the individual
• as a Notional Budget that is held by Cheshire East Council
• through a third party arrangement – Children with Disabilities Short Breaks Team (CWD)

In circumstances where direct payments are deemed appropriate to meet assessed need as an alternative to a delivered service, they can be used for:

• supporting a child to access an activity that promotes the development of social relationships and friendships – e.g. Hiring of a PA to support the young person in accessing an activity.
• parental respite
• in exceptional circumstances consideration can be given to the purchase of equipment.

For information on referrals and further information, please see the links:

• Cheshire East Consultation Service (ChECS) (for assessments and advice)
• PeoplePlus Independent Living Services - Direct Payment Support Service
• Children with Disabilities Short Breaks Team - Direct Payment Support service

Early Help Individual Payments (EHIPs)

Early Help Individual Payments (EHIP’s) form part of the Local Authorities Short Break Support for Parent Carers of Disabled Children. An  EHIPs is an annual payment of up to £1,000 for parent carers of disabled children under the age of 18 to purchase support for themselves that would enable them to take a break from their caring responsibility. The payment is for the parent carer; however, the support that is purchased should be meaningful for their child.

If a child is receiving High-Rate Disability Living Allowance (DLA), either care and or mobility component or a young person aged 16 or 17 is receiving enhanced Personal Independence Payment (PIP) either care and or mobility component then the parent carer is eligible for an EHIP’s.  We use DLA and  PIP as our eligibility criteria as this is a way of us determining that the child has a disability without having to undergo an assessment. To access EHIPs the child/young person must not be receiving a funded service from social care (e.g. direct payments or traditional respite)

Example use of an EHIPs payment:

• Paying for a carer to take the child or young person out on an activity
• School holiday clubs
• Membership to a sports club or gym for the child or young person
• Fees for a youth club or other social clubs, that are not already part of our commissioned short break services
• Specialist disability swimming lessons, trampoline clubs or horse riding

For information on referrals and further information, please see the below link:

• Children with Disabilities Short Breaks Team - Early Help Individual Payments

Adult’s Social Care - Personal Budget

Adult Social Care support is available to individuals aged 18 and over (with no upper age limit for eligibility), who meet the following criteria:

• you have care and support needs as a result of a physical or mental condition or illness
• as a result of these needs, you are unable to achieve two or more outcomes as specified in the Care and Support (Eligibility Criteria) Regulations 2015. For instance, being able to wash or use your home safely
• there is a significant impact on your wellbeing

A Needs Assessment is carried out under the Care Act, which if necessary, may result in a Care and Support plan being drawn up. Outlined in the plan are the needs of the individual and the support required. Each person will play a central role in deciding their level of support and care. Personal budget allocations will be discussed as part of the process to develop an individual’s Care and Support Plan where there is an unmet social care need.

Personal Budget allocations (including the option to manage it as a direct payment) are also available from adult’s social care for adult carers of adults, as part of a carer’s assessment.  

Any agreed upon budget can be managed:

• as a Notional Budget that is managed by Cheshire East Council
• through a third party arrangement
• as a Direct Payment to the individual

Examples of how this budget can be used are:

• employment of a PA to help with daily living requirements
• support to meet assessed eligible community care needs i.e. support to access an activity.
• respite care

For information on referrals and further information, please see the links:

• Cheshire East Council - Requesting an assessment from Adult’s Social Care

Page last reviewed: 10 November 2022