What is a carer's assessment?

How do I know if I'm a carer?

Whatever the circumstances, if you look after someone who needs support because they’re ill or disabled, then you’re a carer.

The word ‘carer’ means different things to different people – and there are many circumstances in which you might provide care for someone. For instance, you might:

• help your partner take care of themselves day to day
• regularly visit a relative who lives far away to check on how they’re doing
• arrange hospital appointments on behalf of a parent
• drop in to see a disabled friend each day to provide a meal and some company
• move in with a relative to help them recover after a major operation.

You might be providing care by yourself – or you might be getting help from family, friends or professional care workers.

It’s important to acknowledge that you’re a carer because it means you could get extra support – such as financial benefits or flexible working arrangements.

How do I arrange a carer’s assessment?

Get in touch with your local council's social services department to request a carer’s assessment.

Find your local council on GOV.UK

Can I have someone with me at the carer's assessment?

Yes – you can bring someone with you to the carer's assessment if you want to.

Does the person I care for need to be assessed?

To be entitled to access support services only you have to be assessed, and you can get a carer's assessment regardless of whether the person you care for is having their needs assessed.

However, it may be a good idea for the person you look after to have their needs assessed, as long as they’re willing. The council may have a duty to meet any care and support needs of theirs that you’re not meeting. This is also a good idea because it helps you both to plan for the future. If there comes a time when you're no longer able or willing to care for the person concerned, but the council has already assessed and recognised their needs, it should meet these needs without requiring further assessment.

What should I prepare for my carer's assessment?

Before your assessment, it's worth looking at the following questions and thinking about whether being a carer is having a significant impact on these aspects of your life.

• Are you getting enough sleep?
• Are you eating well?
• Is your health being affected by caring?
• Can you get out to do things by yourself?
• Can you cope with other family commitments?
• Is juggling work and caring difficult?
• Are you able to pursue your work or educational goals?
• Can you socialise and enjoy your hobbies in the way that you used to?

It's also a good idea to consider whether there are any other issues that may affect your ability to continue caring.

What happens during the assessment?

During the assessment, you’ll have a chance to talk about the care you provide and the impact it has on your life. The assessor will look at the support you get and whether other services could help you. They should also provide or refer you to information about other sources of support, such as benefits.

What are the possible outcomes of a carer's assessment?

Following the assessment, if your local council agree that you're eligible for help, they'll work with you to draw up a support plan. This outlines what services or help you need to support you in your caring role.

The kind of help and support you could get includes:

• respite care to give you a break
• information on local support groups
• help with caring
• equipment to help you in your caring role.

As part of your support plan, the council will set a 'personal budget'. This is the overall cost of the support services required to meet the needs identified in your assessment. Depending on the outcome of a financial assessment, you might need to contribute to the overall cost.

You may be able to receive a 'direct payment', based on your personal budget. This is where the council give you money to arrange your own support services.

The direct payment may be available to use to help maintain your interests outside of your caring responsibilities and could be a one-off payment, for example to fund an annual membership to a club, or an ongoing payment, for example to spend on a weekly exercise class.

Find out more about personal budgets and direct payments