Personal budgets and direct payments for children with SEND

Your child may be able to get a personal budget as part of their Education, Health and Care Plan (EHCP). 

Personal budgets 

A personal budget: 

• is an amount of money or resources that’s allocated to meet the outcomes agreed in your child’s EHCP if our Local Offer services do not meet them 
• can be for education, health or social care 
• has restrictions on what’s available and how it can be spent 
• can give you more flexibility and choice to meet your child’s needs 

You may choose to receive your personal budget via Direct Payments. 

Direct payments 

Direct Payments: 

• are only an option at the point when your child’s EHCP is drafted, reviewed or reassessed 
• are an alternative to us providing a service 
• are payments we make to you 

This means that you: 

• are responsible for arranging services to meet your child’s assessed needs, and paying for those services 
• can choose who provides care or support for your child and when it’s provided 
• decide how it’s provided, for example, by employing a personal assistant or accessing suitable activities in the local area 

Direct payments are not considered as income when you’re assessed for welfare benefits. This means the money you receive from direct payments is ignored in the benefit calculation. The Inland Revenue will not consider direct payments as part of your taxable income. 

Read our guide to direct payments for parents and carers:

Find out more about direct payments