Information for carers
In April 2015, adult social care underwent a major transformation. The Care Act introduced new rules and regulations that set out national standards for care and ensure that carers and the people they care for receive a fair deal. Alongside ensuring that no-one pays more than £72,000 per year for care; the Act has also introduced new assessment criteria to identify who requires assistance with their care, or assistance caring for someone else.
To qualify for care and support, an adult must show that they are:
Unable to carry out basic personal care such as washing, dressing, eating and drinking, or taking medication
Unable to carry out basic household maintenance such as cleaning a house, washing laundry, or preparing a meal
Unable to fully carry out any care responsibilities they have for a child
Unable to maintain family relationships without support
Unable to access work, training, education, or volunteering
Unable to access necessary services within their community
By “unable”, the legislation means that the individual:
Cannot complete the task without help or support
Is caused significant pain, distress or anxiety by completing the task without help
Endangers their own or other people’s safety by completing the task without help
Can complete the task unaided but takes significantly more time than usually expected
The Act also considers the way that the care responsibility affects the life of the carer.
A carer may be entitled to assistance if:
They are able to provide care but will cause significant pain to themselves or the adult needing care by doing so
They are able to provide care but will endanger the health and safety of the carer or the person receiving care by doing so
They are unwilling or unable to provide some of the support the person they care for needs
Their physical or mental health may be compromised by providing care
They are unable to fully care for children they are responsible for
They are unable to fully care for anyone else they provide care for
They are unable to maintain family or other personal relationships
They are unable to obtain or keep employment, education, or training
They are unable to access necessary services in their community
They are unable to participate in recreational activities
If you provide care for an adult and think you qualify for assistance, you can request a Carers’ Assessment by calling 01702 215 008 or emailing [email protected] with the subject line “adult social care”.
For more help and advice for carers, click here
To see what assistance is available in your area, visit SHIP
For more information on the Care Act, click here
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