Personal Budgets:

Supporting People Who Receive Personal Budgets

Personalisation-Transforming Adult Social Care
Personalisation is the new approach to providing Adult social care which is currently being implemented by the Government. Having listened closely to people who use social care and their carers the aim is to ensure that people get services tailored to meet their individual needs and preferences. Services should be more joined up and show a greater understanding of the role carer’s play.

What Are Personal Budgets?
Gradually everyone who is eligible to receive help from the local authority social care dept (social services) will be allocated a “personal budget” based on their level of need. This means people will know the amount of money allocated to them to meet their social care needs.

Knowing the amount of their personal budget gives people more choice and control over what happens to them.

With their social workers they will agree how they are going to use that budget to achieve agreed goals e.g. to live independently and safely, to support a carer in their caring role, to enable access to leisure or education. The arrangements will be reviewed regularly by social services and the budgets audited.

How Can Personal Budgets Be Organised ?
Many people will want social services to continue managing their care as they always have but they will know how much is being spent on them - they are the customer.

Some people will want an independent service provider to help them organise their care and manage their personal budget on their behalf. This is called an “individual service fund.”

Other people will want to receive their personal budget themselves as a “direct payment” and organise their care themselves.

How Can Crossroads Care Cheshire East, Manchester & Tameside Help People Receiving Personal Budgets?
People taking their personal budget as a direct payment or via an individual service fund can use this funding to get services from Crossroads Care.

We can work with you to design the service you need as a carer or service user. We are very aware that you know best what will help you in your individual family situation and so we need to be as flexible and creative as possible.

What Is Special About Services From Crossroads?
Crossroads is unique in that it is national network of local charities whose aim is to support carers by providing a range of services developed in response to feedback from carers and sensitive to what they tell us they need.

We are a charity, a “not for profit” organisanisation.

We employ staff who are highly trained, police checked and reliable. The quality of care we provide has been recognised by being awarded the highest rating of 3* Excellent in our 2009 and 2010 Care Quality Commission inspections. See their reports at www.cqc.org.uk.

We have a range of services which carers can access in order to relieve some of the stresses of caring.

• Short breaks for Carers
• Domiciliary Care
• Personal Support
• Carer support groups
• Carer emergency response services
• Support to carers in employment
• Services for young carers
• Palliative Care in the home
• Group activities for people being cared for
  

We keep people we work with in touch with what we do and we are always seeking new and flexible ways to make life better for them and the people they care for.

People who chose to spend their personal budget with us can be confident they will receive reliable services from an organisation which understands their situation and will give them a holistic service.

How To Contact Us

To talk to us about your personal budget please contact

Catherine Williams on 01260 292856

Crossroads Care Cheshire East, Manchester & Tameside
Overton House
West Street
Congleton
Cheshire
CW12 1JY

Tel 01260 292850
Fax 01260 292851

Email cwilliams@crossroadsce.org.uk

Tina Patterson on 0161 445 9595

Crossroads Care Cheshire East, Manchester & Tameside
6 Barlow Moor Road
Didsbury
Manchester
M20 6TR

Tel 0161 445 9595
Fax 0161 448 6952
Email tina.patterson.manchester@crossroads.org.uk