NHS Digital’s updated management information on personal health budgets (PHBs), published 14 August 2025 and revised on 28 August 2025, provides a snapshot of how these budgets are being used across England.
The data shows that 108,008 people had a personal health budget by the end of June 2025.
Of these, 91,152 adults and 16,856 children and young people received budgets, and 18,416 adults were eligible because they qualified for NHS Continuing Healthcare.

Delivery methods vary: 17 % of budgets are paid directly to individuals, enabling them to arrange their own care; 80 % are ‘notional’ budgets, where the NHS arranges and pays for services; and 3 % are managed by a third-party organisation.
The update notes that the majority of budgets are still managed by the NHS, but direct payments are increasing as more people choose greater control over their care.

Why this matters for HomeCareDirect

HomeCareDirect specialises in supporting people to use personal health budgets to hire their own carers and personal assistants.
The latest data is encouraging and highlights several points:

• Growing uptake
  More than 108,000 people now use PHBs, demonstrating that personalised care is becoming mainstream.
  HCD has helped hundreds of individuals navigate the process of setting up a direct payment and employing their own support team.
• Direct payments empower people
  Although most budgets are still arranged by the NHS, 17 % are direct payments. Direct payments give individuals (and their families) the freedom to choose who provides their care.
  HCD offers payroll services, free bank account management, recruitment support and training to ensure people can confidently manage their budget.
• Opportunities for children and young people
  More than 16,800 children and young people have PHBs. HCD works with families of children with learning disabilities, autism or complex mental‑health needs to design support packages that allow them to remain at home and participate in their communities.

As the government’s long-term health plan aims to double the number of people offered personal health budgets by 2028‑29 and make them universally available to those who would benefit by 2035, the role of providers like HCD will become even more important.
By offering expert guidance on hiring carers, managing budgets and ensuring compliance, HCD can help more people take control of their health and wellbeing.