ELDERLY and disabled people will be able to decide for themselves how money is spent to care for them.
After a positive response from public consultation, Essex County Council is to introduce a new system of funding social care which would give people personal budgets to spend.
New referrals are set to be given their own budgets from later this year, and the county council is considering how to give self-directed support to the 30,000 people it already provides care for.
David Finch, the authority's cabinet member for adults, health and community wellbeing, said: "Rather than focusing mainly on traditional services to support disabled or older frail people to live at home, people will be able to be more creative in working out how they could best use their personal budget to help them live the lives they choose.
"But the council will not be walking away from its duty of care - service users can still ask us to hold their money and arrange services for them, or ask another person or organisation to do this."
Comments: Our rules
We want our comments to be a lively and valuable part of our community - a place where readers can debate and engage with the most important local issues. The ability to comment on our stories is a privilege, not a right, however, and that privilege may be withdrawn if it is abused or misused.
Please report any comments that break our rules.
Read the rules hereComments are closed on this article