Education, health and care (EHC) needs assessments and plans
Contents
- EHC assessments explained
- Education, health and care plans (EHCP) explained
- How young people, parents and carers can apply for an EHC assessment
- Stay informed: Children and Families Support Gateway
- How schools and education settings can request an EHC needs assessment
- The EHC needs assessment process
- EHC personal budgets
- SEND assessment processing timescales
- Reviewing EHC plans
EHC personal budgets
A personal budget is the amount of money we identify to deliver a provision set out in an EHC plan where the parent, carer or young person is involved in securing that provision.
Any requests for a personal budget must be discussed with the SEN officer at the draft stage of the process.
They are optional and will require agreement from us and the education provider.
Read the personal budgets policy (updated 2021).
Who is eligible for a personal budget?
A child or young person may be eligible if they have complex learning difficulties and disabilities.
A personal budget may be provided if a child or young person needs individual support that goes beyond universal and targeted services.
How is funding calculated?
Funding is based on a child or young person’s assessed need and eligibility for a personal budget.
How are disagreements about a personal budget resolved?
We will actively seek to resolve disagreements about the budget, how funding is managed and how the personal budget is used throughout the EHC pathway.
If it is not possible to reach agreement at any stage of EHC pathway then the relevant service manager will be available to seek to resolve the dispute.
If the dispute is not resolved, the matter may be referred to a senior manager.
There are also disagreement resolution services as set out within the Code of Practice.
Request a personal budget
To request a personal budget form, contact our EHC team.
Advice and support
Parents and young people are able to obtain impartial help and advice about personal budgets and direct payments from Information, Advice and Support Services in Northamptonshire (IASS).
They can be contacted on 01604 364772 or more information can be found on the IASS Northants website.
Useful information
- Council for Disabled Children - SEND reforms
- Making it Personal 3 | KID
- Personal budgets for EHC plans (Local Offer directory)
Last updated 13 October 2025