Personal Budgets - Giving people more choice and control over the services and support they use
At South Gloucestershire Council we are introducing a new way of providing adult social care and support which will enable people to plan their own lives in their own way. This is known as ‘Transforming Lives’.
People can have their own personal budget and will be able to purchase their own services and support. If they need help with this we can offer the support of a trained broker. This will help them find the services that are the right ones for the individual and reflect their personal preferences, as well as helping them manage the financial side.
The person who takes on the broker role may be a qualified social care broker recommended by the council, or a social worker or care manager could help in this way. Alternatively, a friend or relative could be trained to provide the right support.
What is a Broker?
A broker helps you look at options and helps you plan what you would like to spend your budget on.
Brokerage and Information Support Workers won’t tell you what to do, but will:
- Help you to think about what is important to you and what you want in life.
- Help you to make a plan about how you want to live your life.
- Explore with you how you can best achieve this plan within available resources
- Help to make sure your plan happens, that you are happy with it and safe
You may involve anyone you choose to help plan your support if this is helpful. This can include family or friends, or you might prefer to do this alone. Whatever you choose, we will make sure you are in control.
What to do if you think you would like brokerage?
Let your Social Worker know that you would like to meet us, even if you just want to find out more about the service. Also let your social worker know about:
- Any communication needs you have ( for example, hearing loss, preferred language, difficulty understanding written materials )
- Any physical access requirements, any preferences or other needs
Your social worker will pass this information on to us and we will do all we reasonably can to meet these needs and preferences