You are entitled to a statutory Carer’s Assessment if you look after a relative, friend or disabled child who needs your support to live at home.
The Carer’s Assessment provides an opportunity for you to discuss all aspects of your caring role.
If you think you may be entitled to a Carer’s Assessment, please contact us.
A Carer’s Assessment is the council’s way of working out whether you qualify for support from them in your role as an unpaid carer. The assessment is a chance for you to discuss how your caring responsibilities affect you. It will look at whether you’re willing and able to carry on providing care.
All carers who feel that they could benefit from some support now have the right to a free statutory assessment, even if the cared-for person refuses an assessment of their own needs.
How could a Carer's Assessment benefit me?
Your assessment will provide an opportunity for you to discuss all aspects of your caring role, including the things that could make caring more manageable for you.
You can find out about services which will support you in your caring role, such as:
- benefits advice
- help with household tasks
- a break or ‘time out’ for you and/or the person you care for
- help with care during the day and/or night
- emotional support such as counselling or an opportunity to meet other carers
- help with juggling work and caring
- sources for additional help via local or national support organisations
Who can carry out an assessment?
Carers’ Assessments may be carried out by social workers, or local authorities can arrange for other organisations such as Carers’ Resource to do them.
The assessment may take place by telephone, online or at a face-to-face meeting.
How can I arrange an assessment?
You should contact the council covering the area where the person you care for lives.
The local council contacts are:
Bradford Metropolitan District Council 01274 435400
North Yorkshire County Council 0300 131 2131
Leeds City Council 0113 2224401
If the person you care for lives in a different council area their council will be responsible for your carer’s assessment. Go to www.gov.uk/find-local-council for their contact details.
What can I do to prepare for the assessment?
- Give yourself some time to reflect on your situation, think about what would help and make notes.
- You are entitled to a copy of the questions which will be asked on a Carer’s Assessment.
- You may find it useful to keep a diary for at least a week before the assessment. This can be especially useful if your situation changes from day to day.
What will happen during the assessment?
- The assessment will focus on your physical, mental and emotional wellbeing.
- How does caring affect your work, leisure, education, wider family and relationships?
- What could be done to make life better for you and for the person you are caring for?
Your assessor will focus on the following ‘carer outcomes’ by discussing whether you are able to:
- take care of any children you need to look after, along with your caring role
- take care of any other adults you have caring responsibilities for
- keep your home clean and safe
- do shopping and prepare meals
- have sufficient contact with friends and family
- work, train or volunteer as you would like to do
- have the opportunity to use services such as local shops, public transport and leisure facilities
- spend time doing things you enjoy
Am I eligible for support?
Carers will qualify for support if their assessment shows that the answer to all of the following questions is ‘yes’.
- Do you need support because you are caring for another adult and they would be unable to cope without your care?
- Is your physical or mental health suffering? Are there any ‘carer outcomes’ (listed above) which you cannot meet?
- Could these factors have a significant impact on your wellbeing?
What happens next?
You should be given a written record of the assessment.
- If you do meet the eligibility criteria, the local authority has a legal duty to address your needs and should prepare a ‘support plan’ to indicate what action is needed.
- You should be kept informed of the ‘care and support plan’ for the person you are caring for (if he/she has had an assessment of their needs or a referral for an assessment submitted).
- You should have a financial assessment to decide how any care services will be paid for.
- Direct payments can be requested by anyone eligible for care and support. These are payments from the local authority which will enable you to arrange your own care and support.
- If you are paying for your own support services, known as ‘self-funding’, your local council should help with the arrangements – there may be a charge for this.
- If you do not meet the eligibility criteria to receive support from the local authority, you should be given written reasons for this decision. You are still entitled to advice and information to help with your caring role.
- If you disagree with the decision made by the council, you can appeal.
Parent Carers and Young Carers
Information on this web page applies to adults caring for someone over 18 years. If you are a parent carer (caring for someone under 18 years) or a young carer aged under 18 years, please contact your local council or our Young Carers and Families Team at Carers’ Resource for advice on assessments. The Care Act 2014 introduced a duty on local authorities to carry out needs assessments where children with disabilities are being cared for, or young carers turn 18 years.
