What We Do

Individual Service Fund

 

An Individual Service Fund (or ISF) is a way in which a person (or their representative) can manage their Personal Budget.

ISFs are a good option for people who want more choice about who supports them, and how their support is delivered, but who cannot or do not want to manage some of the responsibilities that come with a Cash Budget.

At Coquet Trust, we will hold the Personal Budget on your behalf and help you to decide how and when you want support to meet your chosen outcomes.

Within an ISF:

  • We are accountable to the person we support as well as to the Council.
  • We commit to spend the money only on the person we are supporting and the management and support necessary to provide that service
  • At Coquet Trust we will work with you to use your ISF in a flexible way to meet your chosen outcomes and support needs
  • We will also use your ISF to pay for support from different organisations if you wish
Read Matt's Story

 

 

How I use my Individual Service Fund

Matt currently lives in his own home and shares his support with two other people. Coquet Trust has been supporting Matt for over ten years and initially provided 57 hours of support to him, as well as support during the night.

With the support and guidance of a dedicated staff team, Matt has developed many skills over the years and now only requires 10 hours support, but still has the security of sharing the overnight support with the other two people who reside in the adjoining property.

Staff support Matt to meet his tenancy agreements, pay bills, cook meals and keep his home in good order.

Matt has secured a part time job working in ASDA and he is hoping to progress to full time empoyment in the future.

He is quite the entrepreneur and has a stall at Tynemouth market every Sunday and occasionally on a Saturday also, called ‘Matty’s Place’. This activity has assisted Matt to develop social skills and literary and numaracy skills, whilst giving him structure and a sense of achiement and has built his confidence.

Matt is using some of his Indivual Service Fund to pay towards his pitch at the market, plus his transport costs to get there.

With all this hardwork, Matt is planning on having a well earned holiday in the near future. He will be able to use some of his ISF fund to help pay towards any staff support that he needs to enable this and also any other bits and pieces needed.

Matt and his staff are continually looking for other meaningful ways of using his ISF fund, other than for support hours …… so watch this space!!!