2. How to apply for a personal budget
Does the child or young person have an Education, Health and Care Plan (EHCP)?
- DON'T KNOW: see more about EHCPs
- YES: you can apply for an assessment for a personal budget to meet social care, health or educational needs.
- NO: you can still ask for an assessment for a personal budget, but only to meet social care or health needs; not for educational support. The child or young person must have had an official assessment that shows they're eligible for extra support, such as NHS Continuing Healthcare.
We will consider all requests for personal budgets. But we don't offer a budget if:
- we think it will be poor value for money
- we think it might have a negative impact on other people
- a parent of the young person is getting treatment for drug or alcohol abuse
- it's to be used to pay a close family-member that live in the child’s home to be a carer
- the child or young person is in custody
- you want it to buy a place at a fee-paying school
If you are eligible for a personal budget, we'll go through a questionnaire with you. This gives us a 'score' based on the child or young person’s needs. The higher the score, the more money should be in the budget.
If the child has an Education, Health and Care (EHC) plan, the budget can only be used to pay for things in the plan.
IPSEA
Independent Provider of Special Education Advice (known as IPSEA) is a registered charity (number 327691) operating in England. IPSEA offers free and independent legally based information, advice and support to help get the right education for children and young people with all kinds of special educational needs and disabilities (SEND).