Risks, safeguarding and personal budgets - a study.

Personalisation has been a policy aspiration of the Department of Health for over 25 years. Practitioners and managers have had concerns, however, that people receiving a personal budget - particularly a direct payment are more at risk of abuse.

The National Institute for Health Research (NIHR) at King's College London have carried out a study to find evidence to support or counter these fears.

Some findings from the research included:

Results found no strong evidence to suggest a difference in safeguarding referrals for people with managed budgets or direct payments compared with social care users. However there was a statistically significant higher proportion of referrals for financial abuse and abuse by home care workers among people using personal budgets (PBs) in the three councils studied in depth. They had otherwise similar proportions of safeguarding referrals for people with PBs and those using council commissioned services.

Who will find the results helpful

Practitioners who support people with PBs

People with BPs, their relatives or carers can use the results to help them make decisions about getting support while managing the risks of harm

Social care policy makers will be better informed of the overall impact of PBs on safeguarding.