Getting the money agreed

Once you have completed the shared assessment questionnaire the Council will have an idea of the amount of support you need. This is based on a points system. The more needs you have the higher the points scored.

The money you are given is based on your level of need. This way all people should be treated fairly as people with similar levels of need and support will be given the same amount of money to meet their needs.

We want you to know how much money you have available to you at the beginning of the process. This way you can plan to meet your needs, knowing how much money you have available to do so. This is a guide figure. If, through creative support planning, you are able to meet your needs within the budget the Council will arrange for any ‘left over’ money to be taken off the amount paid. This money can then be used to help someone else get in control of their life.

When the plan has been produced the detail of that plan will be agreed using the ‘Care Manager’s Checklist’. This check is done by the Care Manager. The plan then goes to a panel to make sure you are planning to use the money responsibly and that possible risks have been considered.

What should be included in your support plan?

The Support Plan is the name of the plan which details how you will spend your Personal Budget. In order for your Care Manager to release your money they have a responsibility to check that your plan considers all elements of your life. They also have a responsibility to make sure that risks have been considered and the money is being spent in the right way.

Support plans can be as individual as the person themselves. The Council wants to encourage people to be as creative as possible in developing their support plan. To help you develop your plan, you can use a range of people to support you, such as

You can choose how you present your plan: it could be a written document, a colourful chart, a DVD, audio tape or something else. By being creative you may think of ideas and ways of meeting your needs that have not been considered before.

Support planning should be a good experience, so think about who should be involved and where you would like to work on your plan. You might want to set a couple of hours aside or to break it up so that you answer one or two questions a day.

You need to think about all areas of your life and how you will use your budget to make positive changes. 

There are many tools developed by Helen Sanderson Associates which can be used to help you to develop support plans.

You can get more information from their website: www.helensandersonassociates.co.uk

Remember you can produce the plan however you like as long as the questions have been answered.

Care Managers will use the ‘Care Manager’s Checklist’ which relates directly to these questions to sign off your plan.

If you want help with your support plan, you can ask the Person Centred Planning Co-ordinator or your Care Manager.

Person Centred Planning Co-ordinator

Bugle House, 118a High Street, Newport

Isle of Wight, PO30 1TP

Tel: 01983 520600

Other things to think about in your support plan

• Who will plan and organise your support and arrange to pay your supporters and/or the services that you buy with your Personal Budget? Who will keep records about this?
•  What are you able to do? Are you going to need support from others to stay in control? Do some decisions in your life rely on other people helping you?
•  You will need to include a contingency plan. This is another plan in case things don’t work out as you’d first planned.
•  Remember – it is illegal to spend community care money meeting health needs. Please think about this carefully when preparing your support plan.

How would you be involved in the day to day decisions in your life? How would you change things in your life/plan if they were not working well? Below is a tool to help you identify these.

Now you have thought about these areas you can put together your plan. Make sure:

• You have been involved as much as possible
• You have been as creative as possible
• You have costed all of your plan
• You have taken a copy before you send it off in the post
• You call your Care Manager to let them know to expect your plan

Top tips

Maintenance Costs

• Think about housing related costs, for example, the cost of repairs and utilities.
• Make sure you add in the cost of expenses, travel and telephone bills.

Circles of Support: getting informal networks involved

• Think about the things in your life you need support with and ask people if they can support you.
•  Be clear when you are asking for support: some people may not realise that you are asking them for help or they may not see themselves as “qualified” to help.
•  It can be a scary thing to ask people for things, so you could get someone else to ask for you . Most people will be flattered that they have been asked.
•  Invite your informal network round for a cup of tea or go out for a meal. Have fun together.