Personal budgets are nothing more complicated than being clear with people from the outset about how much money is available to meet their level of need and allowing them greater choice over how it is spent.

They are little more than sensible delegation. In social care, the emphasis shifts from rationing access to meaningful support planning and review.

Anna Dixon's article asked whether we would need personal budgets if personalised care planning were properly resourced. For me, it's the other way round - we don't have truly personalised care planning because the current system too often fails to put the person in the centre.

Jon Glasby, professor of health and social care, Birmingham University

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