Option 2
When it comes to arranging and managing your social care support, you can decide how much control and responsibility you want to have.
There are four options, designed to give you different levels of control and responsibility. You choose which option is best for you.
This article is about Option 2. You can find out more about the other options here:
Option 2
Option 2 is a way of choosing how your support budget is used, without managing the money yourself.
It’s sometimes called the best of both worlds.
This is because it is half way between Option 1, where you handle the money yourself and Option 3, where you let your council choose what’s best for you.
Option 2 is also sometimes called an Individual Service Fund, when your budget is managed by another organisation.
You may also find Option 2 described in other ways depending on where you live.
How does it work?
When you create a support plan with your social worker, you will agree what you need support to help you achieve, and what your budget will be.
If you want to choose how to use your support budget, but you do not want the responsibility of managing money directly, Option 2 might be a good option for you.
In Option 2, an organisation holds your budget and manages the money on your behalf. This organisation could be your council or another organisation, such as a charity or support provider.
You choose how you want to be supported, who by, and how else you want to meet your outcomes. Your outcomes are the things you have agreed are important to you in your support plan.
An agreement should be written between you, your council and whatever support providers you choose, to describe how your outcomes will be met. This will include what budget you have available, and how the money will be managed.
Who can use this Option?
Everyone who is eligible for formal social care support through their council should be able to choose Option 2. This includes adults, children and young people, and people with any type of impairment or support need.
Option 2 must also be offered to unpaid carers who are eligible for support in their own right.
Depending on where you live, there may be a limited number of organisations who can hold your budget and manage the money for you.
Where can I get help if I choose this Option?
Independent Support Organisations and Carers’ Centres (if you are an unpaid carer) can help you learn more about Option 2 and think about whether it is right for you.
You can find your local Independent Support Organisation using the Find Help search tool.
You can find your local Carers’ Centre here.
There are different organisations who can hold your budget and manage the money for you. Ask your council for a list of organisations who do this in your area.
Next steps
Take a look at the Case study section below to find out more about how Option 2 works and how people have used this option to manage their social care support.
Lots of people are given the information they need to use Option 2.
But we know that some common issues come up for people.
Here is what do to if any of these things happen to you.
I was not offered Option 2
By law, your council must offer you all four Options to enable you to decide how much choice, control and responsibility you want to have when it comes to your social care support.
In some areas, there are not a lot of organisations who manage people’s budgets if they choose Option 2. Even if this is the case, your council should give you all the information you need to choose whether Option 2 is right for you.
If you think you would like to use Option 2 but your council have not offered you it, it can be a good idea to speak to an Independent Support Organisation who can support you to challenge them.
Find details of your local organisation using the Find Help search tool.
I use Option 2 and my council says I have to choose from a list of approved support providers – but I want something else
Some councils have a list of support providers they would like you to choose from. This list of support providers is also sometimes called a framework.
It can be helpful to use this list to give you an idea of what is available.
You do not have to choose from this list.
If you feel your outcomes (what is important to you) would be better achieved with support from someone else, or you have found local support that works for you, let your social worker know.
A local Independent Support Organisation, or the organisation that manages your budget for you, may also be able to let you know about other places you can get support from locally.
I use Option 2 but I do not have a written agreement about how it works
Agreements between you, your council and any support provider you choose are not used everywhere, even though it is a good idea to have one in place.
Ask your social worker for one.
You and your support provider should have a copy of your support plan so they know how the money can be used.
I want to use another organisation to hold my budget and manage the money, but there are not many available in my area
We know many organisations would like to hold Option 2 funds and handle people’s support budget for them, but this can cost them money so they are less likely to offer this service.
Talk to your social worker and ask them to speak to the commissioning team in the council about this.
The law about social care support is called the Social Care (Self Directed Support) (Scotland) Act 2013.
It says:
- If you are eligible for formal social care support, the council has to tell you about the four Options, including Option 2.
- Councils, by law, have to explain what each of the Options mean and how they work.
- Councils also have to tell you about other people who can help you decide which Option you want to use.
- If you need help to make a decision about which Option is best for you, and you do not have another adult who is legally allowed to make decisions for you, the council has to take reasonable steps to help you make a decision.
- The council has to allow you to make a choice about which Option you prefer, even if making a choice is difficult for you.
You can see the full text of the law here.
The SDS Statutory Guidance is legal guidance written for local councils to tell them how social care support (Self-directed Support) should work.
It says:
- Councils and social workers should not consider any of the four Options is better or preferable to the others.
- You should be empowered to choose the Option that works best for you.
- Your wishes and needs are the most important, even if you cannot make or understand decisions.
You can find the link to the part of the Guidance that talks about this here.
Examples of people who use Option 2 to choose and arrange their support
There are lots of examples of people who use Option 2 to choose and arrange their support.
Check out these videos to see how it works for different people.
Case Study: Examples of people who use Option 2 to choose and arrange their support