Personal budget; application

With the personal budget as a form of benefit, equal participation and self-determination for people with disabilities can become a reality. The personal budget entitles people with disabilities to receive cash or vouchers to finance the necessary assistance instead of the usual benefits in kind and to put together the necessary service package according to their own ideas.

The rehabilitation providers, the care insurance funds and the inclusion offices are involved in the implementation of the personal budget in accordance with the individually determined needs. If several service providers are involved, the personal budget is granted as a complex service across all providers.

In addition to the benefits for participation, the necessary benefits from the health insurance funds and long-term care insurance funds, benefits from the accident insurance providers in the event of a need for long-term care and benefits from social welfare assistance for long-term care, which relate to everyday and regularly recurring needs and can be provided as cash benefits or vouchers, are also eligible for the budget.

You can apply for the personal budget from the following service providers:

• Health insurance fund
• Care insurance fund
• Pension insurance provider
• Accident insurance provider
• Old-age insurance provider for farmers
• War victims' pension/support fund
• Youth welfare organizations
• Integration assistance providers
• Supra-local social welfare providers (districts)
• Inclusion office
• Federal Employment Agency

You have a disability or are at risk of a disability (the severity of the disability is irrelevant) and meet the legal requirements for claiming benefits (see above).

• You must first submit an informal application. The application is always voluntary. A single rehab application is sufficient to initiate a comprehensive review and decision-making process for the personal budget, even if another service provider is responsible.
• The services that can be provided in the form of the personal budget are then discussed with the applicant. If necessary, representatives of the service providers concerned will be involved. The person with a disability can bring along a person they trust. The applicant and the service provider then conclude a target agreement in which the result is recorded.
• The person with disabilities will then receive a decision containing the details of the personal budget. If they do not agree with the determination of the personal budget, they have the option of lodging an appeal with the service provider that issued the decision.
• As a rule, the need for assistance is reviewed at least every two years in a further needs assessment procedure and adjusted if necessary.

In the event that no expert opinion needs to be obtained to determine needs, the responsible service provider will make a decision within three weeks of receiving the application.

If an expert opinion is required to determine the need, the responsible service provider will make a decision within two weeks of receiving the expert opinion.

• When you submit an application, the responsible office will tell you which documents you still need to submit.
  Evidence and documents depend on your individual circumstances.

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