Home Care Funding, Benefits and Allowances
The first thing to do once you know that there is a need for home care and support, be it for yourself or your loved one, is to see if there is any entitlement to care funding.
There are different types of care funding and you may be entitled to more than one of them. Some social care funding support is means tested or health and ability tested, whereas others are not. The following is a guide to what you might be entitled to.
Local authority-funded home care
You may be entitled to social services funded care and support but this largely depends on your financial circumstances. For more details contact your local social services.
If you have already been assessed by your local authority as needing social services care and support, you are likely to be allocated a Personal Budget which can be paid in the form of Direct Payments, Individual Service Funds (ISFs), or Individual Budgets.
You may come across many other phrases for these but fundamentally they all mean the same important thing, that is, you have more choice and control over the care and support you receive.
Often, the Local Authority does not provide funding to cover everything that you wish to include in your support plan and only covers the basic essentials. You or your relative, friend or neighbour may wish to top up and pay for some extra care and support; if it is possible to do it.
Your questions, answered
What is a Personal Budget?
A Personal Budget is given to those who have been assessed by the local council as having social care needs, depending on their financial circumstances.
Personal budgets have been available in England since 2008. Depending on your circumstances, or choice, you may receive your Personal Budget either as Direct Payments, or as an Individual Service Fund (ISF).
What are Direct Payments?
Direct Payments are a government initiative allowing individuals who have been assessed as requiring social services care to purchase their own care and support and will be allocated a personal budget. You can read more information about Direct Payments on the NHS Choices Website.
By choosing to take your Personal Budget as Direct Payments, this enables you to have choice and full control over how and when your money is spent but as a general rule, it must be spent on services and/or equipment that meet your needs for care and support based on your assessment. We can develop a Personal Support Plan with you, ensuring that your needs and wishes are met timely and effectively. You can apply for Direct Payments from your local social services.
What are Individual Budgets?
An individual budget is similar to a personal budget, except it is made up of other sources like the Independent Living Fund (ILF), which was previously granted to those with severe disabilities who are living within their community and staying at home, rather than in a residential or nursing care home. Click here for more information about Independent Living Funds.
What are Individual Service Funds (ISFs)?
An individual service fund (ISF), are for those who are unable, or do not wish to manage the Personal Budget allocated to pay for you care. A service provider such as Honor Care Limited can be chosen by you to do this for you. We can hold your personal budget on your behalf but you are still in control of how this is spent.
Your Personal Support Plan will be developed to decide how you want to spend your ISF and this will depends largely on the outcomes that you want to achieve and the way in which you want us to support you to achieve those desired outcomes.
Get in touch today!
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Sandwell Business Development Centre
Oldbury Road
Smethwick
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