The Personal Budgets Scheme: Current Status and Areas for Improvement

Abstract

A personal budget scheme for disabled people, modeled after its North American and European precursors, is on track for implementation in 2026 in Korea as a national agenda item for the current government. The objective of this article is to take a survey of the pilot projects that lead up to the implementation of the personal budget scheme and identify areas that need improvement. I review the key components of personal budgets and examine examples of early practices carried on by private-sector providers as part of the pilot projects. Among the core principles underlying personal budgets are self-direction and flexibility in service utilization. The personal budget scheme as it stands, however, does not come close to allowing individuals to self-direct their service use. This article points to the need for enhancing the workforce and providers involved, educating users, securing a sufficient supply of benefits, and strengthening the overall infrastructure.