Getting assessed is the route for carers and the people they look after to get help and support from their local authority social services department. If you are providing regular and substantial care for someone, ask to be assessed by your local authority so that it can agree what support you need.
The social services department of your local authority may be able to carry out a community care assessment of the needs of the person you're looking after, as well as a separate assessment of your own needs as a carer. You will be able to find contact details of your local authority by searching the directory of local carers' services.
Community care assessment for the person you care for
Social services should carry out an assessment of the person you're looking after if it appears they may be in need of any community care services. They may need community care services because of a disability, health condition, or if they're frail due to old age.
In some cases, health services (such as the NHS) and social services will work with each other to ensure that there is a thorough assessment.
As part of the community care assessment, you will normally be consulted, unless the person you care for has any objections to your involvement.
There is guidance relating to specific groups of people (including older people, people with learning disabilities and people with long-term conditions), which sets out how carers should be involved in the assessment and planning process for the person they are looking after.
Community care assessment for yourself
If you need community care services (because you have a disability yourself, for example) you may need your own community care assessment. Being a carer will not prevent you from having an assessment.
Carers' assessments
Some carers have a right to a separate assessment of their own needs. You should be able to have a separate carer’s assessment in the following situations:
- Where you are providing regular and substantial care to someone. Social services will also check that you are over 16 and looking after a disabled child or someone over 18.
- That the person you are looking after is someone they may provide community care services for.
- As part of the process of assessment when the person you are looking after is being discharged from hospital.
- When you are looking after someone with mental health problems who is on the Care Programme Approach.
- As a parent carer of a disabled child under 18, you have a right to a separate assessment of your own if the assessment for the child under the Children Act does not fully take account of your needs.
Example
Sue is disabled and cares for her parents, who are in their 90s and frail. When she contacts her local social services for support, she is told that her parents can both have a community care assessment. She is also eligible for a community care assessment because of her disability and the possible need she has for her own community care services.
As her parent’s carer, her views and need for support will be discussed as part of their assessment. Sue should also be offered a separate carer’s assessment to consider her own needs and role as a carer.
If you are not providing regular and substantial care
Social services would still have the power to carry out a carer’s assessment, although not a duty to do so. You should still have your views as a carer taken into account when social services carry out a community care assessment for the person you look after, as described above.
NHS continuing care for the person you look after
Even if the care they receive is funded by the NHS, you should still be able to have a separate carer’s assessment if you're providing regular and substantial care to someone.