Changes to a support budget
Once you have a support budget in place, it is not likely to stay the same forever.
People’s needs change, and there may be times when your budget goes up or down.
This article explains how your support budget may change, and where you can get help if you do not agree with the change.
When a support budget may change
Once you have a support plan, your council should review this on a regular basis to make sure it is working well.
Some councils do reviews every six months, some do reviews every year. Sometimes it is hard to get a regular review of your support because social work services are very stretched.
Find out more about reviews in the article: Reviewing your support
Your budget may change after a review. It might go up if you need more support. It might go down if you need less support.
Your council should not change your budget without discussing it with you first.
If you have not been able to spend all your budget, your council should not use this as a reason to reduce your budget in future.
Any changes to your budget should be based on a review of your support.
Where to get help if your budget changes
If you do not agree with a decision about your budget, there are organisations who can help you speak with your council.
These types of organisation can help you understand more about the decision and challenge the decision if you want to.
Find your local Independent Support Organisation using the Find Help search tool.
Find your local Advocacy Service here.
Many people get the support they need to deal with any changes to their budget.
But we know that some common issues come up for people. Here is what do to if any of these things happen to you.
My council told me my budget is being cut
Your council should not change your budget without discussing it with you first.
Any changes to your budget should only come after a review where you discuss your support and whether your current support is meeting your needs.
It can be helpful to speak to an Independent Support Organisation or Advocacy Service for help if you feel your budget has been reduced too much.
Find your local Independent Support Organisation using the Find Help search tool.
Find your local Advocacy Service here.
The SDS Standards give guidance to local councils to help them deliver social care support well.
These SDS Standards are not laws, but they describe what good Self-directed Support looks like. Councils should work towards these Standards.
When it comes to changes to your support budget, here is what the Standards say:
- You should be informed and involved in decisions about how your budget is agreed, allocated, reviewed and spent (12.1).
- You should be told the relevant amount available to achieve your personal outcomes for each Self-directed Support option (12.2).
- Your budget should be enough to meet agreed outcomes identified in your assessment. (12.3)
- Your budget can be spent in any way that is legal and that is related to meeting your agreed personal outcomes (the things that are important to you) (12.3)
- You can be flexible about how you spend your budget to meet your agreed personal outcomes (the things that are important to you) (12.4)
- Social workers should encourage and support you to think creatively and flexibly in how your budget can be spent (12.4)
- You should be able to be flexible about spending different amounts of money each week and at different times of the year, within agreed limits. (12.4)
- Council systems should support flexible spending (12.4)
- Councils should balance their duty to meet your outcomes and give flexibility of spend with their duty to ensure budgets are spent appropriately (12.5)
- There should be a clear and fair reason behind any proposed change to your budget and this should be clearly communicated to you through your social worker (12.5)
- The council should not take money back from your budget without consulting you, potentially through a review or reassessment. This should take account of bills yet to be paid, or challenges recruiting personal assistants or getting care and support services in place (12.5).
You can find the full SDS Standards here.