[Rosemary - Rethink]

There were a few people who worried about how personal budgets would affect benefits. A personal budget is for your needs,so it is seen as like a service not as income, so it doesn’t affect other benefits that you get.

I’m not an expert on the benefits system. I know there has been some talk of incorporating all of the benefits that someone gets into one big personal budget, but this is only an idea and hasn’t been done. In theory, you wouldn’t expect that the overall amount that someone gets would be smaller because of amalgamating them, but I guess if it happened there would be a worry that people received less overall.

[ghost]

Rosemary - Rethink, on 20 January 2011 - 12:38 PM, said:

I think it was Lotso who commented that you chose to have floating support and asked how is it different?

With floating support you got a service that was for everyone. As Rethink looks at how to personalise its services it is trying to make sure that we build in flexibility so that you get exactly the kind of support that you want, when you want it and how you want it – designed specifically to suit you.

If the service continues to be block grant funded, that may be the only difference that you see. But if commissioners ask Rethink to fund the floating support service through personal budgets, then you may be offered a Self Supported Assessment. Then, if you are eligible for a budget, you can consider whether Rethink floating support is the best way for you. If it is, then you become the customer and buy the floating support from Rethink.

One way of thinking of that is that it puts you more in control, because you can always buy someone else’s service if you aren’t happy with the way Rethink works.

Hi Rosemary, I think it was me who mentioned floating support and what will be different. Is this about introducing a more 'free market' approach to services and do you think it could be a stepping stone to benefits being payed directly to services? It sounds awfully a lot like the first step in this article-

My link

Thanks

[ramboself]

The guy who assessed me started of with the critaical band then i said i fit the substantial band, they i think are now saying my needs are low

I said i had problems going to the supermarket, he said "what do you mean your a permanent fixture on the high street with your shopping bags"

I've got no suppport so i have to cope then they hold it against me

[Rosemary - Rethink]

Chris - Rethink, on 20 January 2011 - 12:44 PM, said:

Don't forget, you can contact Rethink's Advice team if you need information about challenging decisions made by local authorities, care providers and so on.

I echo what Chris says, and also it might be useful to use an advocacy service

[Rosemary - Rethink]

ghost, on 20 January 2011 - 12:45 PM, said:

Hi Rosemary, I think it was me who mentioned floating support and what will be different. Is this about introducing a more 'free market' approach to services and do you think it could be a stepping stone to benefits being payed directly to services? It sounds awfully a lot like the first step in this article-

My link

Thanks

Hi Ghost
Yes its definitely a more free market approach to services. If you request it your personal budget can be paid directly to the service that you opt to use, but at the moment, as far as I'm aware, benefits are not linked into it.

[Admin - Rethink]

Yes - more about Rethink's advocacy services here, and our services search here.

We may not have a service in your area - if so please contact the Advice team.

[Rosemary - Rethink]

Mld asked about finance and asked 'Should I mention that I want to go to the gym in my CPA review?'

There isn’t a link between personal budgets and Income Support in this. Although Personal Budgets are means tested, so although they may assess you as eligible for a budget, you may be asked to contribute to it yourself if it looks as though you’d be able to. You mentioned wanting to go to the gym. When you do an assessment for a Personal budget it would be worth saying that you’d like to get fit and healthy, this could then lead to you identifying trips to the gym as a way of meeting that goal.

[Rosemary - Rethink]

I'm just wondering whether I explained enough about what personalisation is. If anyone still feels that its woolly, please let me know?

[Admin - Rethink]

Has anyone seen our new website www.rethink.org/personalisation? If so, what do you think of it?

[ghost]

Rosemary - Rethink, on 20 January 2011 - 12:53 PM, said:

Hi Ghost
Yes its definitely a more free market approach to services. If you request it your personal budget can be paid directly to the service that you opt to use, but at the moment, as far as I'm aware, benefits are not linked into it.

Thanks Rosemary, I can't help but think that this is a stepping stone to direct payments from DLA, in time. The new DLA title is going to be called 'personal independence payment' so it makes sense. This isn't Rethinks doing though, you have to work with government plans as best you can.

[ramboself]

Quote

I'm just wondering whether I explained enough about what personalisation is. If anyone still feels that its woolly, please let me know?

Maybe it's me but i'm not much good at exact meanings personal payments personalisation, what exactly is personalisation for, last social worker i spoke to said it's money to pay for your care

My care needs don't realy meet those physical disability criteria, it's my mind that needs the care, then theres the thing that as i express mself i'm not in need when i live independently and have no one to represent me other than this part time advocate

[mld]

Thank you for answering my question.

I couldn't log on at 12.30 as I was still on my way back home from my hearing voices group!

M.

[Rosemary - Rethink]

ghost, on 20 January 2011 - 01:04 PM, said:

Thanks Rosemary, I can't help but think that this is a stepping stone to direct payments from DLA, in time. The new DLA title is going to be called 'personal independence payment' so it makes sense. This isn't Rethinks doing though, you have to work with government plans as best you can.

You may be right, but in an ideal world, that shouldn't mean that the amount that you receive is less. As you say we are all watching government policy and then working out how councils implement it.

[Rosemary - Rethink]

ramboself, on 20 January 2011 - 01:12 PM, said:

Maybe it's me but i'm not much good at exact meanings personal payments personalisation, what exactly is personalisation for, last social worker i spoke to said it's money to pay for your care

My care needs don't realy meet those physical disability criteria, it's my mind that needs the care, then theres the thing that as i express mself i'm not in need when i live independently and have no one to represent me other than this part time advocate

It sounds as though you are finding it difficult to get what you need, so I'm glad that you have a part time advocate, so that you aren't completely on your own with this. It looks as though by living independently you are seen as someone who has lower level needs. When you do your 'self' assessment for a personal budget there should be a chance to talk about the needs that you have. As your needs chance over time, there should be a chance to ask for your needs to be reassessed.

mld, on 20 January 2011 - 01:19 PM, said:

Thank you for answering my question.

I couldn't log on at 12.30 as I was still on my way back home from my hearing voices group!

M.

You're welcome.

[mld]

How do you go about doing a self assessment for a personal budget? My husband and I live off my DLA and IB as he has no current income coming in as he is self employed, and doing no work at present.

M.

[Rosemary - Rethink]

mld, on 20 January 2011 - 01:35 PM, said:

How do you go about doing a self assessment for a personal budget? My husband and I live off my DLA and IB as he has no current income coming in as he is self employed, and doing no work at present.

M.

Hi mld

If you are in contact with a Social Services Care Co-ordinator you can ask for a Self Assessment. They are now called 'Supported self assessments' as no one ever does one on their own. The Care Co-ordinator will look at whether you would be eligible for a budget under the Fair Access to Care criteria (in a lot of councils you need to have critical or substantial level of needs)(see the post on this above).

If they decide you'd be eligible the assessment should be completely holistic, looking at all areas of your life and your aspirations. You can ask family members to contribute too.

When you have done the assessment of your needs it goes to a panel who decide an indicative budget of how much they think you will need to buy support. A lot of councils say that it really is indicative and they expect that you would use 10% either more or less.

If you are not eligible they should tell you why, and explain other methods of support that you can use. I hope this helps.

[Rosemary - Rethink]

mld,

I ought to add that in some areas Councils are offering personal budgets as a routine thing to all new applicants for care, but in others they haven't got their heads around it yet.

In the ones who aren't ready you may have to forge the way with trying out the system.

It should get clearer as the year goes on, as all councils have targets to meet on the number of people that they get onto personal budgets.

[mld]

Thanks. I will go onto the highlighted link above, but as yet I have had no support from social services - just most days from the CMHT and the crisis team when required. I would enjoy doing something without the presnce of a CPN or OT from the CMHT!

Just going to look at the highlighted link.

M.

[Rosemary - Rethink]

Hello everyone

Its been really useful to hear all of your questions as it gives me a feeling of what is happening for you.

The posts seem to have dried up now. So I'm going to say 'Goodbye' but if you want to add anything, feel free as I will check the forum later this afternoon. Also remember the Contact Us part of the new Personalisation webpage, you can post any other thoughts or problems to the email address there,
all good wishes
Rosemary

[Rosemary - Rethink]

mld, on 20 January 2011 - 01:52 PM, said:

Thanks. I will go onto the highlighted link above, but as yet I have had no support from social services - just most days from the CMHT and the crisis team when required. I would enjoy doing something without the presnce of a CPN or OT from the CMHT!

Just going to look at the highlighted link.

M.

Oops I just saw this. In some areas Health work very closely with Social Care, if you have a CPN, you could ask him or her about being referred to the Social Services Care Co-ordinator so that you could discuss a personal budget.

Also, I just realised that you are in Canterbury, my geography isn't very good, but if that's in East Sussex. East Sussex social services have been training individuals as Brokers. The Care Co-ordintor could offer that you used a Broker (this is someone who is independent and is trained to help you to work out what services are out there, how much they cost, and whether they'd suit your needs)