Carer's Personal Budget

[Colleen_1804]

I'd like some advice please.
I've been caring for my husband for six years and working full-time as well, I'm the only wage earner.
My local authority, Leicestershire, gives a one-off carer personal budget of up to £250 which I had last October for some counseling sessions.
I can also apply for an ongoing PB which would be weekly / fortnightly etc. I'm thinking of doing this because I really need some emotional support/ relaxation me time. Except I'm really not sure what to say I'd spend the money on in order to achieve those outcomes. Could I ask for support for embroidery classes? Piano lessons? Cleaning? Ironing?
What do other people spend their PB on please

[susieq]

A what? Not even heard of this before!

Availability depends on where you live Best to contact your Local Authority to check if available in your area (although with all the cut backs I suspect many authorities who previously gave them out will have either cut back or discontinued them )

[Chris From The Gulag]

New one on me although faint memories from aeons ago ... somewhere ?

Did a bit of trawling for readers , like me , with a streak of curiosity :


https://www.peoplefirstinfo.org.uk/look ... l-budgets/


An extract :

Carer Personal Budgets

A Carer Personal Budget (also known as a Carer Direct Payment) is a sum of money paid by a council's Adult Social Care department to help to a carer to pay for things which will help them in their caring role. It allows a carer to have more control over how they are supported.To get a personal budget you will have to have had a carer's assessment.

If you are eligible for support from your council following a carer's assessment you will be given a personal budget - the amount you receive will depend on your situation, and will be paid as a lump sum. This payment will cover a 12-month period after which your situation will be reviewed with you.

You and the person who completes the assessment with you will create a support plan which will show how your support will be arranged, and how you will spend your personal budget.

How well " Published " is this little goodie ???

Post code lottery rearing it's infamous head again ?

[Chris From The Gulag]

The link in my last post will reveal ... most.

An extract from YourThe Boss web site throws a little more light :

Carers Personal Budget

Many local authorities are offering carers a personal budget of their own. This is generally a one off payment which enables carers to have a break from caring. This could be anything from a holiday to attending college courses, having pampering sessions or taking some short breaks.

People qualify for a Carers Personal Budget if they are an unpaid carer (Carers Allowance is not classed as a payment), they have had a carers assessment and this has shown that the carers needs cannot be met in another way.

To find out if you are able to get a Carers Personal Budget in your local area contact your local Adult Services Team

Without further trawling , I expect that it IS available manor wide BUT ... unless a carer asks for it , the LA will not offer it ???

Just checked the main sites for both Carers UK and Carers Trust ... nothing in recent times !

Personal budgets for carers appear to be a spin off from the Care Act , 2014.

Regular readers of that thread will appreciate the " Teething " problems in getting any LA to comply with that Act ?????????????

[bowlingbun]

Over 40 years I've had TEN carees in total, yet never received anything from the LA. On the contrary, I've had to do hundreds of miles every year, at my own expense, to attend meetings concerning my son. I did ask for sewing classes once, was told that they would only pay for courses leading to an academic qualification. At 60, as I was then, I suggested that I already had enough qualifications, 10 O levels, 3 A levels and an Honours degree. I got nothing!

[Colleen_1804]

Care act 2014. You are entitled to a carers assessment. Eligibility criteria are nationwide stipulated in the Act. Local authorities have to provide care to meet outcomes identified in assessment if you can't get them met via support network

[Colleen_1804]

This replaced the old take a break style schemes

[Chris From The Gulag]

What the Care Act says ... and how LAs respond ... are a continuing bone of contention.

As recorded elsewhere , Carers Assesstments ... several cases for taking longer than a year , over two in one extreme case.

A long trawl but the separate thread ... CARE ACT ( The Should / Would / Could Act ) ... lays bare the deficiences in said Act , and even more when it comes to implementation :

https://www.carersuk.org/forum/news-and ... care%20act

A classic case of what's on the label doesn't match the contents.

Look no further than the Ruling in the Luke Davey case !

[bowlingbun]

I've had the assessment, I definitely come within the criteria. After my sewing lessons were rejected a few years ago, I asked for money for counselling, and gym membership, as I have some health issues. For months, the head of the LD Team has been "thinking about it"!!

[Woodpecker]

When I had care's assessement last year I was told I qualified for PB, didn't ask for it, hadn't heard of it, only problem quite limited on what it can be spent on, so I've never claimed it. Was told examples of use, driving lessons, or if I remember rightly a laptop. Deffinetly can't be spent on care for your carees, which is what I want, so no use to me.