Personal budgets for children and young people with an Education, Health and Care plan

A Personal Budget is money used differently to pay for support detailed in an Education and Health Care (EHC) plan for a child, young person or adult (up to 25) with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND).

Each request for a Personal Budget is considered on an individual basis to reflect the idea that this is highly personalised care. There is no one-size-fits-all as every case will need to be decided on its own merits. A Personal Budget can include funding from education, health and/or social care services. A Personal Budget can allow for a more tailored and personalised approach.

Who can request a Personal Budget including when and how to request one

The following can request a Personal Budget:

Parents or carers of a child or young person with an EHC plan. If a parent or carer makes a request for an adult aged between 18-25, the adult's views and preferences will be considered.
A young person with an EHC plan can independently ask for their own personal budget after the end of the school year in which they become 16.

You have a right to request a Personal Budget:

When the council has completed an EHC needs assessment and confirmed that it will issue an EHC plan.
During a statutory review of an existing EHC plan.

In the first instance you should discuss this with the SENCO and the allocated SEND Caseworker, to check if the request is appropriate. You will need to complete the request form, which the SEND Caseworker will be able to send you. When a Personal Budget is requested, any supporting evidence from all professionals actively involved should also be submitted. This might include any historical assessments or reports that are relevant or important to the particular request.

The council will also seek assurance from you, the young person or nominee that any person employed by you or the young person, but working on early years, school or college premises, will conform to the policies and procedures of that institution and may write such an assurance into the conditions for receipt of the direct payment.

What a Personal Budget can be used for

A Personal Budget can be used to arrange and pay for some of the support agreed in your child's EHC plan.

Your request for a Personal Budget must be related to your child's needs, provision and outcomes set out in the EHC plan. Most provision can be provided within an educational setting, but there may be exceptional circumstances where it cannot, so a Personal Budget may be appropriate.

When a Personal Budget will not be agreed

A Personal Budget will not be agreed if:

it does not meet your child's needs, provision, aspirations or outcomes outlined in the EHC plan
the request is for private therapy when it is available through the NHS, e.g. an independent Occupational Therapy or physiotherapy programme
it does not represent value for money for the council or where it would not be an efficient use of services
the cost of your child's specified special educational provision is part of a larger sum that cannot be separated without having an adverse impact on other services (such as provision within a school)

Find out more

You can find out about Direct payments - money for services you can arrange yourself on our website. Please note that although the information on this page is more about direct payments from social care, similar arrangements for children and young people with an Education, Health and Care plan will apply.

Contact SEND, Looked After and Vulnerable Groups Casework Team