SEND local offer - Personal budgets

A personal budget may not always be appropriate but is an option which can be requested when the Council is preparing an EHC plan or at the annual EHC plan review. In all cases the availability of a personal budget will be based on the support a child or young person (up to 25 years old) needs for them to achieve their agreed outcomes and support needs as specified in their EHC plan. 

If someone has an EHC plan, their parent, carer or the young person themself has the right to ask the Council to prepare a personal budget.  This request can be made at any time during the period in which the Council is preparing the draft EHC plan or when the plan is being reviewed or re-assessed.

Not everyone will want a personal budget and there is no statutory requirement for parents, carers or a young person to have one.

The SEND code of practice states:

The child's parent or the young person has a right to request a personal budget (PB). When the local authority has completed an EHC needs assessment and confirmed that it will prepare an EHC plan. They may also request a PB during a statutory review of an existing plan.