PERSONALISATION (also known as Direct Payments / Personal Budgets)

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Personalisation enables you to have more choice, flexibility and control over your life. Every local council must now offer people who need support or care the option of money to purchase their own services instead of arranging services for them directly.

This scheme enables people to live independently. You can decide how your needs are met, when, and by whom. You are in control and decide the best way that your needs can be met.

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WHO CAN GET SELF DIRECTED SUPPORT?

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• You must be assessed by a Social Worker / Care Manager at the Council to be eligible for community care services. People who can apply include; children and adults with physical / sensory disabilities, people with learning disabilities, older people, people using mental health services, people with Aids / HIV. They can also be used to support carers and for purchasing some forms of equipment.

• You must be at least 16 years of age, but parents of disabled children under 16 can receive direct payments for their children.

• There is no upper age limit.

DIRECT PAYMENTS

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A Direct Payment is a cash payment for social care support from the council instead of the council providing services directly to you. With this money you can organise your own support. This might include taking on responsibility to employ staff and/or accessing activities or services to support your personal care needs. (A Direct Payment can also form part of a Personal Budget or an Individual Budget).

PERSONAL BUDGETS

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Personal Budgets are an amount of money that can be given after an assessment of your personal care support.

You can either take a Personal Budget as a Direct Payment, or, while still choosing how your care needs are met and by whom, leave the council with the responsibility to commission the services. You can also have a combination of the two.

The Direct Support Team here at Harrow Association of Disabled people has been set up specifically to give support, information and advice with all aspects of Direct Payments and Personalisation. Our role is to take you through the Payment process and give you as much help as you need, and to work with the Council to ensure the arrangements work well for you. For more details please see our factsheet - Self Directed Support.

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