Getting a care needs assessment
If someone you love is finding everyday things harder, a care needs assessment from the council is a good first step. It's free, whatever their savings, and anyone can ask for one.
What it is
It's a conversation with someone from the council's social services, such as a social worker or occupational therapist. They'll ask how the person is managing everyday things like washing, dressing, cooking and getting about.
It can lead to help such as:
- equipment, like a walking frame or a personal alarm
- changes to the home, such as grab rails or a walk-in shower
- a paid carer
- day centres and lunch clubs
- a care home, if that's ever needed
Even if you plan to arrange help yourself, perhaps with a self-employed carer, an assessment can pick up needs you hadn't thought of.
How to ask
Contact adult social services at the council where the person lives. You can phone, and many councils let you ask online. GOV.UK has a postcode finder that takes you to the right council in England or Wales.
You can ask on someone else's behalf. It helps to talk it over with them first, because it's their assessment.
At the assessment
It might be face to face, over the phone or online, or a form they fill in themselves.
This is the chance to give the full picture. Mention everything that's a struggle, even small things like turning taps on and off. Leaving things out can mean less help is offered.
If you can, be there with them, or ask another family member to be. You can help explain and take notes. If nobody can be there, ask about an advocate. This is someone independent who can speak up for them, and they're often free.
If you help look after them, ask for a carer's assessment for yourself at the same time.
What happens next
You'll get the results, saying what help would make a difference.
If help is recommended, the council then does a separate financial assessment, called a means test, to work out how much it will pay towards the cost. The needs assessment itself doesn't look at money.
If the council decides they don't qualify for its help, it should still give free advice about other help locally. Ask if it doesn't.
If you disagree with the result or how it was done, use the council's complaints procedure. In England, if you're still unhappy after that, you can go to the Local Government and Social Care Ombudsman.
In Scotland
Ask the council's social work department for a care needs assessment. A GP, district nurse or health visitor can also arrange one.
There's one big difference in Scotland: if an adult is assessed as needing personal care, such as help with washing, dressing or going to the toilet, that care is free, whatever their age or income. Some other services, like lunch clubs, can still be charged for.
In Wales
The process is much the same, under Welsh law. The conversation focuses on what matters to the person. Wales also sets a weekly limit on what a council can charge for care at home, currently £100 a week.