Carers personal budgets

A carers personal budget is one way to help you take a break from caring.

You can apply for a carers personal budget if:

  • your carers assessment shows that your needs that cannot be met another way
  • you are an unpaid carer (carers allowance is not classed as payment)
  • you care for someone who lives in Salford
  • you have had a carers assessment

If the social worker assesses you are entitled to a carers personal budget, they will help you to fill in a support plan. This explains how you want to use the carers personal budget to give yourself a break from caring and how having a break will help you.

Rules about the carers personal budget

  • The carers personal budget is not a right for all carers. It is when you have a need for support which cannot be met in another way.
  • The carers personal budget can only be used to fund one item or service each application.
  • You can only receive a carers personal budget once a year.
  • The social worker must have agreed how you are using the carers personal budget beforehand and you will need to provide receipts.

Different levels of support

The social worker will assess if you have a high, medium or low need for support. The social worker will use the information in your support plan and in your carers assessment. They will look at what other support you have, such as family who can step into the caring role, to give you a break. They will also look at how your caring role is affecting your:

  • health and wellbeing
  • stress levels
  • ability to remain in or return to work
  • relationships and family life
  • ability to continue with your caring role

What do the different levels of need look like?

High need:

  • You might be about to lose your job, or have to stop going to college or university because of caring
  • Your relationship with the person you care for will break down
  • Your health and wellbeing is being severely affected through your caring duties
  • You are the only carer and are socially isolated with no other social support

Middle need:

  • You are the sole carer and have limited social support
  • You need support to find work, voluntary work or an education course
  • Your relationship with the person you care for may breakdown

Low need:

  • You have to change jobs or be flexible with your work or education because of your caring role
  • You need support to take part in social activities
  • Other people provide occasional but regular support to the person you care for

After your assessment, if you are not entitled or your needs can be met another way, then you will not get a carers personal budget.

Are there things you cannot use your carers personal budget for?

There are some things the carers personal budget will not fund including:

  • holidays or breaks that you have already taken or paid for
  • costs of breaks or holidays booked before your carers assessment
  • debts and household bills
  • gambling (including bingo and the lottery)
  • services which are, or should be provided to person you care for
  • the cost of a break for the person you care for

What do I need to do next?

More information about a carers assessment.

If you want to find out more about support for carers email salford.carers@gaddum.org.uk

Adult social care is now provided by Northern Care Alliance

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