At Choice Support, we believe that everyone deserves the freedom to live life on their own terms. That’s why we champion Individual Service Funds (ISFs) – a flexible, empowering way for people to shape their support without the burden of managing a personal budget.
ISFs offer a practical, scalable solution for commissioners seeking to embed personalisation, improve outcomes, and reduce reliance on traditional service models. They allow individuals to shape their support without the administrative burden of managing a personal budget, while enabling providers and local authorities to work in true partnership with the people they support.
Benefits of ISFs
Our experience shows that ISFs:
- Enable flexible use of support hours, including banking and pooling, which unlocks more creative and responsive support.
- Improve outcome-focused support planning, aligned with what matters most to each individual.
- Support greater choice and control over who provides support and how it is delivered.
- Enhance co-production with individuals, families, and professionals.
- Are underpinned by co-designed processes, including initial assessments and personalised ISF plans.
Choosing joy: How ISFs help people plan their own adventures
A small group of people supported by Choice Support recently planned and enjoyed a trip to Disneyland Paris – something they’d talked about for a long time. It started with one person saying, “I’ve always wanted to go”, and others chiming in, “me too”. From there, it became a shared goal.
With support from staff, they explored travel options, compared costs, and held planning lunches to decide what would work best. Each person chose to bank hours over several months, using their ISFs to fund the extra support they needed to make the trip happen.
They spent four nights in Paris, doing all the things they’d dreamed of – meeting characters, exploring the parks, and enjoying meals together. It was ordinary in the best possible way: friends travelling together, making choices, and having fun.
They’re already planning their next trip.
Each person used their ISF budget to cover the extra support they needed, making it possible to plan the trip on their own terms and still save for other things they enjoy. Visiting the happiest place on earth wasn’t just a holiday – it was a goal they set, planned for, and achieved together.
ISFs as a commissioning tool
ISFs offer commissioners a way to:
- Shift power to individuals while maintaining oversight and accountability.
- Reduce reliance on block contracts and traditional service-led models.
- Enable innovation in support delivery, including alliance contracting and outcomes-based commissioning.
- Build trust and collaboration between providers, individuals, and local authorities.
At Choice Support, and alongside our More Than a Provider partners, we are proud advocates for self-directed support. We work closely with people with support needs, their families, and commissioners to explore what good looks like – and how to make it happen.
Together, we’re building a future where people have real choice and control, and where support is shaped around ordinary, meaningful lives. The outcomes speak for themselves: when people lead, amazing things follow.