Kevin’s Personal Budget leads to self employment

Kevin, from Norfolk, is an active man who loves the great outdoors and identifies his hero as Ernest Shackleton, the great Antarctic explorer. For 17 years, Kevin has experienced major episodes of paranoia and was diagnosed with schizo-affective disorder. This has had a big impact on his working life, leading to cycles of joblessness, homelessness and hospital stays. He would make a full recovery and return to work, but things would spiral, either from something going wrong in his job or stress in his personal life, and the cycle would start again.

Following the end of his marriage last year, Kevin found himself at the start of another cycle and his employment ended a few months later. At that point, his community mental health nurse spoke with him about a Personal Budget.

Together with a representative from the local Living support planning service, they started working on a support plan. Kevin attended three interviews and said he didn't feel like he had to do very much except "tell his story." As a group, they talked about what was important to him: keeping well and only using mental health services if he is unwell, and managing his wellbeing through his social and work life.

They looked at what was working in Kevin's life - so things like his relationship with his care coordinator and his family - and what wasn't working. He described his love of cycling and making people aware of mental health problems. He also said that social interaction, occupation and routine from work helped to stabilise his mood. They talked about what could be achieved with his Personal Budget and explored the idea of self-employment - providing mental health and cycling mechanics training - and the things Kevin would need to make that happen.

"Not working and living a typical service user lifestyle is something I can't bear," he said.

Kevin's Personal Budget now covers some of his business costs and allows him to do a trade qualification as a cycle mechanic. There is also money set aside for respite if things get too much (it has been agreed he will stay with a friend who owns a farm) and a contingency fund for emergencies and other needs.

A "keeping safe plan" was written, which considered all the risks of implementing the activities described in his support plan. At the final interview, Kevin met with "a chap at the council" who assessed his financial situation and that was where he found out his Personal Budget would be approved. The whole process took less than a month.

Kevin said he would definitely recommend support planning to others. "At first I was a bit cynical," he said. "If I'd been more sure I was going to get something out of it I might have been a bit more enthusiastic. But you need to have patience and it was worth it in the end. Hopefully my business will help me earn a living and I won't need a Personal Budget for that sort of thing. Maybe just for respite if things get too much."