Self-directed Support

Self-directed Support (SDS) is a way of arranging social care that gives you more choice and control over how your support is arranged and delivered.

Instead of the council making all the decisions, SDS lets you:

choose the kind of support you get
decide who provides it
arrange it in a way that suits your life

You can choose to manage your support yourself, let the council do it, or a mix of both.

Who can get Self-directed Support

You may be able to get SDS if you are:

an adult or child who needs social care support
a carer who needs support to continue caring
a parent or guardian of a child who needs support

Each council sets their own rules for who can get this support. Your local council will ask questions to find out what you need support with. This is known as an assessment of needs. The council will then decide if you can get support through SDS.

Visit your local council website to find out if you qualify and how to apply.

Contact social and care services

How it works

There are 4 options for how you can get SDS:

Option 1 - you get a direct payment

You get money from the council to arrange your own support. You can:

hire your own care staff
buy services from a care organisation

This gives you the most control, but also the most responsibility.

Option 2 - Individual Service Fund

You choose the support you want, and the council arranges it for you. You do not manage the money, but you still have control over decisions about your care.

Option 3 - the council arranges support

The council chooses and arranges the support for you.

Option 4 - a mixture of options

You choose which parts you want to manage and which parts the council should handle.

If things change or if you decide it’s not right for you, you can request a review at any time if your needs change or if you want to switch to a different option.

How to apply

Contact your local council’s social work department

you can ask for a social care assessment
a social worker will talk to you about your needs and what kind of support might help

Take part in the assessment

you’ll be asked about your daily life, what’s working well, and what’s difficult

you can bring someone with you or ask for advocacy support

Get a support plan

if you’re eligible, the council will work with you to create a plan

you’ll choose one of the 4 SDS options

Start your support

you’ll get help to manage your support, depending on the option you choose

Support for carers

If you’re a carer, you can also get SDS to help you continue in your caring role. You’ll need a carer’s assessment from your local council. If the council agrees you need support, you can choose one of the 4 SDS options for yourself.

Where to get help

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