Self-directed support, direct payments and personal budgets
Support to councils and providers to help people self-direct how they spend their allocated budget for improved wellbeing and independence. We have extensive resources on direct payments here.
People can self-direct through personal budgets , direct payment offered as an Individual Service Fund.
Making direct payments work better
Direct payments can and should work better for more people. Making Direct Payments Better; from insight to action shows what can be done.
How can we support direct payment recipients and council staff to maximise control over care and support while also meeting the core legal and financial obligations of councils? TLAP's report Imrproving Direct Payment Oversight provides practical examples from councils of how to reduce bureaucracy.
Watch our short explainer flms on how to improve direct payments. View all direct payment resources here..
Key resources
Direct payments - working or not working?
People's experience doesn't always live up to the ideal. This short report looks at how they could work better, what the issues are and how direct payments should support a good life.
Watch self-directed support conversations - short films
What makes self-directed support work well for people? Can people be trusted with their funds? Watch our series of short films that explore these topics. Read the blog, It's not rocket science...it's self-directed support.
Webinar to watch: Understanding rights and entitlements in self-directed support
Two expert speakers talk through the issues and problems associated with offering people choice and support as intended in the Care Act 2014 during the pandemic.
Stories of success in care and support planning
Case story examples showing effective care and support planning undertaken outside statutory services.
Podcast -Mental health and personalisation
A discussion on emerging successful approaches to supporting people with mental health conditions showcased at an event with Association of Mental Health Providers.
Podcast- Is support planning working?
Reflections on the creative and diverse ways that people are using their personal budgets, and the support planning process as a whole. (6 mins)
Making it Real for personalisation in mental health
Working examples of how three organisations are weaving together recovery, co-production and peer support.
Payment cards as a means of managing a personal budget
Recommendations to support councils with Care Act guidance on personal budgets and payment cards.
Personal Outcomes Evaluation Tool (POET) for adults in receipt of social care support - 2017 report
Survey of 4,300 responses measuring experiences of people in receipt of persoanl budgets and personalised care & support.
Individual Service Funds (ISFs) and Contracting for Flexible Support
This Guide, aimed at council commissioners and providers, sets out how councils can contract in a way that gives the person more control over their support.
Getting Better Outcomes for Older People using personal budgets
Report on what does and doesn't work well for older people using personal budgets
Delivering Care and Support Planning
This report offers councils practical examples for delivering Care & Support plans that are both Care Act compliant and person-centred in their approach.
Self-Directed Support: Reducing process, increasing choice and control
Report aimed at council staff responsible for implementing self-directed support
Trust is the key: Increasing the take-up of direct payments
Report with case studies on latest guidance for increasing the uptake of direct payments
Personal Budgets Minimum Process Framework
An interactive web resource to help councils simplify processes for delivering personal budgets, in line with Care Act duties.
