Last updated: 23 August 2024
Who is this document for?
Frontline staff and managers working in homelessness services where personalised budgets are offered to people experiencing homelessness.
Why is it relevant?
Personalised budgets are used in a variety of ways across homelessness services. From supporting someone with household items when they move into accommodation, to paying for a training course to help them find employment, personalised budgets can provide life-changing support for people experiencing homelessness.
This resource summaries discussions held within a focus group delivered by Homeless Link and Greater Change in June 2024 which explored the use of personalised budgets.
What are the key takeaways?
Key recommendations for using personalised budgets were highlighted within the focus group:
- Personalised budgets should be easily accessible, and used flexibly
- Personalised budgets must be relational, not transactional
- Personalised budgets should promote independence, and not dependency
- Personalised budgets should be person-centred, build on people’s strengths, and forward focussed
- There should be clarity around the boundaries of how funds can be spent and collective decision making on how to use the budget.
