News
December 2007
Care reforms give older people more control
The Government has announced that the way people’s care is funded will change. In future, people who need care will have an individual budget which they can use to buy the care they need. This budget will gather together all the money they are entitled to from different benefits and grants, so that they can see exactly how much they can spend.
The new approach will give people more control over decisions made about how they live, so that they can choose what’s really best for them. They will be supported by an advocate, family or friends to make the right decisions. The Government expects that the introduction of individual budgets will raise the standards of care provided. The scheme was tested as a pilot project in 13 areas before the Government decided to introduce it across England.
Find out more about individual budgets on the Individual Budgets Pilot Programme website