SECTION 5 - PERSONAL EXPENSES ALLOWANCE

Purpose of the personal expenses allowance

5.001 The personal allowance is intended to enable residents to have money to spend as they wish, for example on stationery, personal toiletries, small presents for friends and relatives and other minor items. The residents will normally supply their own clothes but in cases of special need or emergency the local authority might be expected to provide replacement clothing.

Amount of personal expenses allowance

5.002 In assessing a resident's ability to pay for his accommodation, the local authority is required to ensure that he retains an amount for personal expenses.

Section 22(4)

5.003 The amount allowed in the assessment for personal expenses is laid down each year in the National Assistance (Charges for Accommodation) Regulations and is the same for each resident whether they are in a local authority run home or an independent sector home.

Varying the amount of personal expenses allowance

5.004 Under the Section 22(4) of the National Assistance Act of 1948 local authorities have the power to allow a different amount from that prescribed for personal expenses in special circumstances, for example where:

· someone who does not qualify as a "less dependent" resident solely because he lives in registered private or voluntary sector accommodation or in local authority accommodation where board is provided and therefore cannot be assessed under the rules described in Section 2 but who, nonetheless, needs to retain more of his income in order to help him lead a more independent life.

· where a person in residential accommodation has a dependant child (see paragraph 1.012), the local authority should consider the needs of the child in setting the personal expenses allowance. This applies whether or not the child has accompanied the person into the accommodation, and will be particularly important where the resident has income which is taken fully into account (see Sections 8 and 9) in the charging assessment (eg Income Support and Child Benefit).