Personal health budgets
Overview
A personal health budget (PHB) is an amount of money provided by the NHS to help meet your individual health and wellbeing needs.
The money must be used specifically for your health and wellbeing, it cannot be spent on anything else.
Your budget is planned and agreed together with you, your parent or carer (or your representative), and your local NHS team.
It isn’t additional funding, but it offers you greater choice and control over how your care is arranged, helping to improve your quality of life and care experience.
Having a PHB won’t change the amount of support you receive, it simply allows you to have more say in how that support is provided.
You do not have to have a PHB if you prefer not to.
Effect on other income
Personal health budgets are:
- not means-tested, your personal or household income is not assessed to determine eligibility
- separate from the benefits system, they are not considered part of your benefits
- excluded from benefit calculations, receiving a PHB does not affect the benefits you are entitled to
Who can get a personal health budget
Some children and young people have ongoing health and personal care needs that must be managed outside of hospital.
This is referred to as:
- ‘Continuing Care’ for children and young people
- ‘Continuing Healthcare’ for adults
If you are eligible for either of these types of care, you may be able to receive a PHB.
If you’re eligible, a Continuing Healthcare Assessment will be carried out to identify your health and wellbeing needs and help plan the right support for you.