Policy and Politics, 38(4), October 2010, pp.493-508.
Publisher:
Policy Press
The authors first provide a brief overview of the development of adult social care in order to place the advent of personal budgets in their historical and policy context. They summarise some of the key concerns and criticisms of personal budgets. The main focus of the article is on the concept of personal budgets as a form of ‘conditional resource entitlement’ (CRE), a situation in between direct service provision and income adjustment in which the individual is given direct access to resources, but with conditions attached. The authors suggest a CRE can be defined using a framework that has five main dimensions: autonomy, flexibility, targeting, support, and conditionality. Other examples of CREs are briefly discussed. The authors argue that, by framing personal budgets as a form of CRE, there is scope to place this specific mechanism in the broader context of the differing strategies available to government when seeking to reform welfare services. They argue that, using this approach it is possible to conceive of a future in which current CREs could become a form of income adjustment; or emerge as the optimal approach to meeting the needs of disabled people; or provide a mechanism for making currently individual resources more conditional.
The authors first provide a brief overview of the development of adult social care in order to place the advent of personal budgets in their historical and policy context. They summarise some of the key concerns and criticisms of personal budgets. The main focus of the article is on the concept of personal budgets as a form of ‘conditional resource entitlement’ (CRE), a situation in between direct service provision and income adjustment in which the individual is given direct access to resources, but with conditions attached. The authors suggest a CRE can be defined using a framework that has five main dimensions: autonomy, flexibility, targeting, support, and conditionality. Other examples of CREs are briefly discussed. The authors argue that, by framing personal budgets as a form of CRE, there is scope to place this specific mechanism in the broader context of the differing strategies available to government when seeking to reform welfare services. They argue that, using this approach it is possible to conceive of a future in which current CREs could become a form of income adjustment; or emerge as the optimal approach to meeting the needs of disabled people; or provide a mechanism for making currently individual resources more conditional.
Subject terms:
older people, personal budgets, personalisation, resource allocation, self-directed support, social care provision, adult social care, disabilities;
University of Birmingham. Health Services Management Centre
Publication year:
2010
Pagination:
8p., bibliog.
Place of publication:
Birmingham
The first part of this policy paper provides a brief overview of the development of adult social care in order to place the introduction of personal budgets in their historical and policy context. The second part introduces the potentially new concept of personal budgets as a form of 'conditional resource entitlement', suggesting this as a possible framework within which to consider future options for welfare reform. The aim is to explore the concept of the 'conditional resource entitlement' in more detail.
The first part of this policy paper provides a brief overview of the development of adult social care in order to place the introduction of personal budgets in their historical and policy context. The second part introduces the potentially new concept of personal budgets as a form of 'conditional resource entitlement', suggesting this as a possible framework within which to consider future options for welfare reform. The aim is to explore the concept of the 'conditional resource entitlement' in more detail.
Subject terms:
independent living, personal budgets, personalisation, social care, social care provision, welfare state, empowerment, government policy;
... of funding might be properly integrated within it. The report has five sections. Section one describes the history of Individual Budgets. Section two puts the concept of an Individual Budget into the wider context of welfare reform and the emerging focus on co-production and personalisation. Not only are Individual Budgets a means for empowering people who need support but they also appear to offer
An Individual Budget enables people who currently use social care services to become active participants in the design of their own support by telling them how much money will be available to meet their needs. At the end of 2006 the Department of Health commissioned in Control to produce this report that examines the value and scope of Individual Budgets and, in particular, what streams of funding might be properly integrated within it. The report has five sections. Section one describes the history of Individual Budgets. Section two puts the concept of an Individual Budget into the wider context of welfare reform and the emerging focus on co-production and personalisation. Not only are Individual Budgets a means for empowering people who need support but they also appear to offer a vehicle for integrating diverse funding streams, section three explores the early practical experience of integration and draws out some of the lessons. In the light of the lessons of implementation section four summarises both the possibilities for extending the scope of Individual Budgets or for developing other forms of Conditional Resource Enhancement in parallel to Individual Budgets. Section five then discusses some of the other policy challenges which will be raised by Individual Budgets within both the medium and long-term.
Subject terms:
integrated services, local authorities, personal budgets, personalisation, self-directed support, service users, social care provision, direct payments, empowerment, financial management, financing;