People who arrange and pay for their own care – often referred to as self-funders – can face some of the same challenges as people receiving council-funded support, and more besides.
These include:
Finding good, easy-to-understand information about services and costs
Not having access to support planning that truly reflects their goals and preferences
Having to navigate financial decisions without support
Local authorities have a duty to provide information and advice to all people in their area, including self-funders (Care Act 2014, Section 4). However, this support is often limited in practice. At Think Local Act Personal, we strongly believe that this needs to change. Everybody who needs care and support should be able to access what they need to think through and plan what it might look like, even if they are not eligible for it to be funded.
“Self-funders often don’t want to take on employment of a personal assistant. They might go down the micro-provider route, but the market is so limited that people end up buying the same old services because that’s all that’s on offer on the council framework. Then you get drawn to very traditional care solutions.”
Rachel Mason
National Co-production Advisory Group
What can help?
Brokerage or navigation services to support care planning and set-up
Peer networks where people share knowledge and experience
Information sessions on rights, planning, and financial considerations
Tools to support informed decisions, such as outcome-focused planning templates
