Supported Living
How you can live the life you want
Self-directed support: an Easy Read guide to getting the help and support you need
Self-directed support is all about being able to choose the help and support you want.
We are writing lots of fact sheets to help you. Each one tells you more about self-directed support and where you can go to find out more information.
This fact sheet tells you more about how you can live the lift you want, it tells you about making the most out of your personal budget, your personal budget is money you can get to pay for help and support.
You get your Personal Budget from your local
council. Your local council is in charge of things
where you live. This means things like deciding
who gets help and support.
council. Your local council is in charge of things
where you live. This means things like deciding
who gets help and support.
You get your Personal Budget from your local
council. Your local council is in charge of things
where you live. This means things like deciding
who gets help and support.
council. Your local council is in charge of things
where you live. This means things like deciding
who gets help and support.
- have a nice place to live
- be safe - this means feeling OK in the place you live and the area you live in
- have fun
- get a job or do something interesting in the day
- be part of your community - your community is the area you live in
- have friends and relationships - a relationship means having a boyfriend or girlfriend
- go on holiday
These are things that everyone wants to do. You
can use some of your Personal Budget to pay for
these things. Your Personal Budget is money you
can get to pay for help and support. This will help
you live the life you want to live.
can use some of your Personal Budget to pay for
these things. Your Personal Budget is money you
can get to pay for help and support. This will help
you live the life you want to live.
More about choosing the life you want to live
You can spend your money in different ways to get
the help and support you need.
You might want to spend it on
the help and support you need.
You might want to spend it on
- a Personal Assistant – a Personal Assistant is someone who helps you out. They can help you at home or with other things like going to clubs or joining groups in your community – your community is the area where you live.
- community support – you can get this
support from people you know in the area
where you live. For example, you might get
a lift to go somewhere from a friend. To say
thank you for doing this you could buy them
something using your money. - live-in support - this is when someone lives with you to help you in your house. You might let them help you and in return you let them live with you for free
- supported living – this is when someone
comes in to help you in your house but they
do not live with you all the time - taking part in your community – you can use your money to pay to join a group in the area where you live and learn new things or to join something like a gym. You might need to pay someone to help you when you are there
- moving house or making changes to your
house - work – you might need help and support
when you are at work. You can use some of
your money to pay for extra help - things to make your life easier. For example, some people have trouble breathing when it is hot weather. They could spend some money on getting air conditioning fitted in their house. Air conditioning makes the air in your house colder. This helps people breathe more easily.
Other things you can spend your money on
You might want to spend your money on
- skills – are new things you can learn. You can pay someone to teach you new things like learning how to cook
- taking a break – some people use their
money to go on holiday. This can cost less
money than getting someone to take care
of you to give your carers a rest - sharing with friends – if you want to try
something new you could ask your friends to join in with you. This way you can spend your money together to pay for things. - setting up a business – you can use your
money to start a new business. This means
you can work for yourself - therapists or counsellors – counsellors can help you talk about things that are going on in your life. Therapists can help you relax or make you feel better by healing you. Healing means making things feel better
Josephine's Story
Josephine used to have a job but had to stop
working because she was unwell. Now she gets an
Individual Budget to spend. This is money she gets
to pay for help and support.
working because she was unwell. Now she gets an
Individual Budget to spend. This is money she gets
to pay for help and support.
Having an Individual Budget has changed my life.
It has put me back in control .
It has put me back in control .
Josephine did not have enough money to spend
on the help and support she needed. She asked for
more money to spend on lots of different things.
on the help and support she needed. She asked for
more money to spend on lots of different things.
Before I had my Individual Budget I did not go out
much at all. Now I can spend my money on things
like paying someone to take me shopping.
much at all. Now I can spend my money on things
like paying someone to take me shopping.
How to find out more
You can read more stories about what other people
have spent their money on by going to www.in-control.org.uk/stories
have spent their money on by going to www.in-control.org.uk/stories
You can download a DVD to watch on your
computer and get books that tell you more about
this. Download means saving the information on
your computer so you can look at it when you are
ready. You can look at the DVD by going to www.in-control.org.uk/dvd
computer and get books that tell you more about
this. Download means saving the information on
your computer so you can look at it when you are
ready. You can look at the DVD by going to www.in-control.org.uk/dvd
You can buy the DVD on the internet by going to www.in-control.org.uk/shop
Or you can buy the DVD and the books from
In Control Support Centre
Carillon House
Chapel Lane
Wythall
B47 6JX
Or you can buy the DVD and the books from
In Control Support Centre
Carillon House
Chapel Lane
Wythall
B47 6JX
