Education Personal Budgets

How do I apply for an education personal budget?  

Parents, carers, or a young person aged 16 to 25 can ask for a education personal budget. This can be done when:

• an EHCP is being written during the assessment process
• an EHCP is being reviewed such as at a review meeting

You can speak with your child’s caseworker to request an education personal budget.

You can also discuss social care or health personal budgets at the review meeting. However, please be aware that you may need to apply for these separately. 

What can an education personal budget be spent on? 

These items can be funded if written in Section F of an EHCP: 

• Tuition in either 1 to 1 or in a group
• Online learning subscriptions
• Specialist teaching programs
• Therapies for example speech and language therapy or occupational therapy or physiotherapy
• Learning resources such as books, sensory tools, adaptive tech, or laptops
• Exam access arrangements
• Training for parents only where required to deliver Section F provision

An education personal budget must not be spent on:

• The following cannot be funded: 
• Items not in Section F of the EHCP
• Household bills or food
• Room or venue hire
• Extracurricular activities
• Dangerous activities
• Cash reimbursements
• Independent alternative provision where local authority alternative provision already meets needs

Who receives and manages an education personal budget?  

There are three different options for managing an education personal budget: 

For a direct payment to be given we must be satisfied that:

• the young person, parents or nominated person can manage the direct payment themselves
• the young person, parents or nominated person will use the money appropriately
• it is the best way to arrange support or services

We will let you know if we decide not to make a direct payment. We will let you know the reason for our decision. You can request us to review the decision.  

Are direct payments monitored? 

We will monitor and review how direct payments are used: 

• at least once within the first 3 months
• when we review an EHCP
• when we reassess an EHCP   

How often are direct payments made?  

An education personal budget can be a one-off payment or termly. The money will be sent into a bank account solely set up for this education personal budget.  

Payments can be made at different times if needed. For example, this could be during school holidays. 

Does an education personal budget affect welfare benefits? 

An education personal budget is not classed as income. Therefore, it will not affect any welfare benefits you may receive.