Carer's eligibility for support

All councils across England must apply the national eligibility framework for support as set out in the Care Act 2014. As part of your carer’s assessment, we will consider whether you meet the conditions set out in the Act, all of which must be met for a carer’s needs to be eligible for support from the Council.

We always recommend you approach the Council for an assessment, no matter what your circumstances. Having an assessment is free of charge and it can help you and others understand your needs better and will help you think through the options.

Understanding your needs

If you look after someone who needs support because of an illness or disability and cannot manage without your help, you could be considered a Carer. If you have caring responsibilities for another person you are entitled to a carers assessment. A carer's assessment is free of charge and is simply a conversation with you that will help us understand the impact that caring is having on your life and how we can work together to best support you in your caring role.

If you prefer, you can complete our online carers self-assessment.

It is designed to help you think about your situation and consider what you need support within your role as a carer.

How we decide if you are eligible for support

The Care Act 2014 set out a national threshold for carers.

We use the following three national criteria to help us decide if you are eligible:

Condition 1

Your support needs must arise from the necessity of caring for someone else.

Condition 2

Due to those caring responsibilities, your physical or mental health is either deteriorating or may deteriorate; or you cannot manage to:

Maintain a healthy and balanced diet
Maintain relationships with friends and family
Look after any children you have responsibilities for
Engage in work, training, education and recreational activities
Carry out any other caring responsibilities that you have
Maintain your home in a fit and proper state

Condition 3

Whether there is or there is likely to be a significant impact on your wellbeing as a result of your caring role.

What happens next

All the information gathered during the assessment will help us make a decision about whether or not you are eligible for support from the council. The level of support you will receive from us will depend on a number of factors, but whatever the outcome of your assessment, we will always give you further information and advice relevant to your individual circumstances and signpost you to other local services. Even if you are not eligible there are a range of services in the borough you can access free of charge.

Find out more about the support available to carers