Personal budgets

Information for people with eligible needs who get care and support from us.

A personal budget is an amount of money allocated to you to provide the support you need based on your assessed needs. 

We work out the amount of money in your personal budget based on:

  • your care needs assessment.
  • a financial assessment, which looks at your income, savings and other capital assets.
  • how it will cost to meet your eligible needs.

We can change your personal budget amount if your needs change.

Read our guide to paying for your care.

Topping up a personal budget

We will always ensure that your personal budget is sufficient to meet your eligible needs. However, you may choose to receive more expensive care than the amount given in your budget. If this is the case, you'll need to top-up the difference.

Where you receive your care will affect who can pay your top-up. 

Services that could form part of a personal budget

Warning

Personal budgets cannot be used to pay for housing costs or the purchase of meals.

However, people living in care homes can spend social care funding on board and lodgings. 

These tables set out the main services provided free of charge and those for which you will contribute.

Services in your home
Service Description Charge type
Arranging non-residential care Arranging non-residential care and support for people with eligible needs who have savings over the full cost limit. We will charge a fee
to cover the cost of arranging care.
We will charge an annual fee if you choose to have your care managed by us.
Arranging non-residential care and support for people with eligible needs who have savings under the full cost
limit.		 Free
Contingency home care Short-term care services until a long-term care provider is sourced. Financially assessed by the council. You will be charged based on the average rate of home care in Oxfordshire until an alternative care provider is found. After that, you will be charged the cost incurred by us.
Equipment and minor adaptations Provision of equipment in your home to aid mobility (grab rails, stairlifts, hoists). Free
Telecare service Telecare service for older people in their own homes. Provision of alarm and falls sensor. Assessment for provision of emergency response and planned visit. Financially assessed by the council and charged by the provider. Free to those with less than £23,250 in assets who are also in receipt of housing benefit and either Income Support or (Guaranteed) or Pension Credit or Incapacity Benefit or Employment
Support Allowance.
Services outside your home
Service Description Charge type
External day centres Support on a regular basis in a building based location that is not provided by the council. Financially assessed by the council. Service users are expected to pay for certain activities or refreshments.
Daytime support Support provided by the council on a regular basis in a building based location. Financially assessed by the council Service users are expected to pay for certain activities or refreshments 
Intermediate care beds Provide rehabilitation to enable people to regain or maintain skills and independence and return to their own home. The beds are in a registered care home. Carers and nurses from the care home support intermediate care residents, with specialist assessment and care provided by occupational and physiotherapists. Free until rehabilitation potential is met (up to a maximum of 6 weeks) after this will be charged as a home support service.
Daytime support Support provided by the council on a regular basis in a building based location. Financially assessed by the council Service users are expected to pay for certain activities or refreshments 
Reablement Care and support in people's own homes to support people to maintain and regain independence. Free until reablement potential is met (up to a maximum of 6 weeks) after this will be charged as a home support service.
Respite A short stay in a care home or a care home 'with nursing'. The stay may last from a few
nights to a few weeks.		 Financially assessed by the
council.
Transport Transport provided by the council to access services. Financially assessed by the council.
Residential and nursing care homes
Service type Description Charge type
Arranging residential care Arranging residential care placements for people with eligible needs. Free
Where the council uses its discretion to meet the eligible needs of people with financial assets above the capital limit.
Care home placements A premises registered with the Care Quality Commission to provide care 24 hours per day for people who can no longer live at home. Care homes 'with nursing' employ nurses as well as carers to provide the care. Financially assessed and charged by the council.