Personalisation and Direct Payments – What does all this mean to you?

Sun 15:45-16:45 (H2)

Biography: Abi Stevens

Abi is 54 years old and has been married for 32 years to Andrew who is her main unpaid carer. They have three grown-up sons. Both trained teachers until the time of Abi’s diagnosis in 1987, when they decided to go into business together to allow them to continue working for as long as possible.

They ran a busy post office and general store until 1994, and since then have been involved in various voluntary activities, such as being tutors for the EPP, teaching English to refugees, being part of a listening service, being involved with various user groups, local authority working groups, and organisations for carers. They are currently both directors for Carers Northumberland.

Abstract

This talk will look at what direct payments and the new personal budgets mean to you. Who are they for and what are they to be used for?

We will look at how you apply for these services what you can and cannot do and what some of the advantages and pitfalls may be. Also there will be a talk from a person with MS who has set up their own personal budget and they will tell us how they have found the process and how this has helped them.