Using your SDS Individual Budget
What can I spend by individual budget on?
There are lots of things you can spend your budget on to help you meet your personal outcomes. Below is a short video from a local resident who benefited from Self-Directed Support and some examples of what you may wish to use this budget for:
- Support for a provider, local authority or a personal assistant.
- Different supports to help you live well such as help to do your shopping or to do cleaning around your home.
- Specialist supports to help you stay fit and healthy. This could be, for example, a personal trainer or a gym membership.
- Membership of a group or activity that helps you connect with people in your own local community.
- Things to help you in work or learning new skills.
- Technology or equipment that helps you meet your goals (and any maintenance of this).
- A holiday or a short break.
- You can choose to pool your resources with a friend to pay for a joint item (like a trip to an event for example).
The are many other possible uses for your budget, however you should know that this budget must be used to meet or support you to meet the outcomes in your support plan and all funds must be used for legally appropriate activities and support.
To help you identify options for your individual budget, we have created the resource below to provide some examples of what you can, what your cannot and what you may be able to use your individual SDS budget on. If you have more questions around using your SDS budget you can speak to your allocated social worker.