Individual service funds
An individual service fund is one of the ways you can choose to receive your personal budget.
This is when we give your personal budget directly to a provider. You choose who the provider is, from a list.
You and the provider share the job of organising your care and support together.
How to get an individual service fund
If you already receive a personal budget, you can tell your Social Worker you wish to receive this as an individual service fund.
Your social care worker will then:
- check to see what providers are available to support you in your area.
- put you in touch with them, so you can arrange to chat through your care and support needs, to see if they are a fit.
If you are not receiving a personal budget from us, you will need to contact Adult Social Care, to discuss your needs.
What an individual service fund can be used for
Everyone's needs are different. So there is not a definitive list of what you can and cannot use an individual service fund for.
But, the money must be spent on meeting the outcomes set out in your care plan.
Examples of what individual service funds can be used for:
- community activities, joining local groups, staying healthy, hobbies, following interests
- support to get out and about to see friends or family
- short breaks or replacement care
- purchasing services from an agency, Community Micro-enterprise or Personal Assistant
- equipment
- training
Examples of what individual service funds cannot be used for:
- healthcare that the NHS should fund, such as registered nursing care at home
- long-term residential care
- anything illegal
- gambling
- everyday living costs that should be met by the person, such as bills or rent
- debts
How you receive your money
We will give the money to the organisation you have chosen to manage your Individual Service Fund.
They will manage your budget for you. It's their job to spend it on the care you want, and the outcomes agreed with your social care worker.
The organisation will receive your budget on a PrePaid card, which works like a debit card. If you need to contribute money towards your care, you will need to add it to this card too.
You can watch a video about how PrePaid Cards work on YouTube