By . Tara Brady . PUBLISHED: . 04:19 EST, 30 January 2014 . | . UPDATED: . 12:05 EST, 30 January 2014 . A football fan has used a grant from social services to pay for Manchester United season tickets. The 33-year-old woman is believed to have used a £550 grant paid out by Bury Council in Greater Manchester twice since 2011. Money is normally awarded to customers who are assessed as having specific care needs. A football fan has used a grant from social services to pay for Manchester United season tickets . A season ticket to see all of Manchester United's games at Old Trafford costs between £500 and £950. The woman has been allocated £550 twice and used most of it each time towards season tickets. A source told The Sun: 'It's incredible that a council, at a time of cuts to public services didn't keep a closer eye on its money.' A Bury Council spokesman said people assessed as needing social care receive a budget to pay for their needs under a system called Self Directed Support. The money is thought to have helped to pay for the majority of the woman's season tickets since 2011 . The personal budget is money that the council gives to a person who then spends the money to meet their needs. You can only have a personal budget if you have been assessed by Adult Care Services as needing support to help live independently. An assessment has to be completed by a care manager and staff from the council's finance team looks at what money is coming in and out. The personal budget is made up from money from Adult Care Services. Once an application has been completed Adult Care Services will tell the person how much money they are likely to have to buy care and support. A spokesman for Bury Council said: 'We are unable to comment on individual cases due to data protection considerations. 'Many of our customers who have been assessed as needing social care receive a budget to pay for their needs, under the system of Self Directed Support. Bury Council which allocated the woman the grant that was put towards Manchester United season tickets . 'This is a national initiative . operated by councils across England to enable customers to become more . independent and tailor their own package of care to their specific . needs. 'For some . customers, their funding package will include a budget for engaging in . social and/or leisure activities, but only if that is a specifically . identified need of theirs. 'All . our care packages are regularly assessed and monitored to ensure that . customers’ needs are correctly identified and funding is properly used . to meet those needs.'
A 33-year-old woman believed to have used a £550 grant from Bury Council .
'Going away fund' for hard-up families who cannot afford to go on holiday .
Season ticket to see Manchester United play at Old Trafford costs between £500 and £950 .
By . Tara Brady . PUBLISHED: . 04:19 EST, 30 January 2014 . | . UPDATED: . 12:05 EST, 30 January 2014 . A football fan has used a grant from social services to pay for Manchester United season tickets. The 33-year-old woman is believed to have used a £550 grant paid out by Bury Council in Greater Manchester twice since 2011. Money is normally awarded to customers who are assessed as having specific care needs. A football fan has used a grant from social services to pay for Manchester United season tickets . A season ticket to see all of Manchester United's games at Old Trafford costs between £500 and £950. The woman has been allocated £550 twice and used most of it each time towards season tickets. A source told The Sun: 'It's incredible that a council, at a time of cuts to public services didn't keep a closer eye on its money.' A Bury Council spokesman said people assessed as needing social care receive a budget to pay for their needs under a system called Self Directed Support. The money is thought to have helped to pay for the majority of the woman's season tickets since 2011 . The personal budget is money that the council gives to a person who then spends the money to meet their needs. You can only have a personal budget if you have been assessed by Adult Care Services as needing support to help live independently. An assessment has to be completed by a care manager and staff from the council's finance team looks at what money is coming in and out. The personal budget is made up from money from Adult Care Services. Once an application has been completed Adult Care Services will tell the person how much money they are likely to have to buy care and support. A spokesman for Bury Council said: 'We are unable to comment on individual cases due to data protection considerations. 'Many of our customers who have been assessed as needing social care receive a budget to pay for their needs, under the system of Self Directed Support. Bury Council which allocated the woman the grant that was put towards Manchester United season tickets . 'This is a national initiative . operated by councils across England to enable customers to become more . independent and tailor their own package of care to their specific . needs. 'For some . customers, their funding package will include a budget for engaging in . social and/or leisure activities, but only if that is a specifically . identified need of theirs. 'All . our care packages are regularly assessed and monitored to ensure that . customers’ needs are correctly identified and funding is properly used . to meet those needs.'
from social services to pay for Manchester United season tickets. The 33-year-old woman is believed to have used a £550 grant paid out by Bury tickets . A season ticket to see all of Manchester United's games at Old Trafford costs between £500 and £950. The woman has been