Assessing your care needs

In Reading we need to “Support the Life that Matters to You”. 

This means we want everyone to be as healthy, active and independent as possible, and to be able to do the things that matter to them. 

We know that some people need some support to achieve this. You might want some support with things like connecting to what’s going on in your local community, developing or maintaining relationships with friends and family, or carrying out everyday tasks. 

Who may need care and support? 

Adults may need care and support because: 

• their health has deteriorated and they need advice and support
• they provide unpaid care for a friend or relative
• their mobility is compromised due to illness, older age or other reasons
• they have a hearing or visual impairment that affects their day-to-day life
• they have a learning disability or physical disability
• they struggle to look after their personal care and daily living 
• they have mental health conditions that affect their day to day life
• they have autism and need support with their day to day life

Am I eligible for support? 

The Care Act 2014 and supporting regulations and guidance set out the process of assessing an adult’s needs for care and support, and deciding whether a person is eligible for publicly funded care and support. 

What is the assessment process? 

An assessment is how a local authority decides whether a person needs care and support to help them live their day-to-day life. 

The assessment must be carried out by an appropriately trained assessor, for instance a social worker, who will consider a number of factors, such as: 

• the person’s needs and how they impact on their wellbeing – for instance, a need for help with getting dressed or support to get to work
• the outcomes that matter to the person – for example, whether they are lonely and want to make new friends
• the person’s other circumstances – for example, whether they live alone or whether someone supports them 

The aim is to get a full picture of the person and what needs and goals they may have. We will start by having a conversation with you to find out who you are and what is important to you. We will also seek to speak to people who are involved in your life and care, such as family, carers or medical professionals. We’ll then work with you to come up with a plan for how we can help you to achieve what it is that you want to achieve. Building on your strengths, interests and values, we’ll always focus on what you can do, not what you can’t do. 

After carrying out the assessment, the local authority will then consider whether any of the needs identified are eligible for support under the Care Act 2014. 

Because not all care needs are met by the State, the local authority uses an eligibility framework to decide which needs are eligible to be met by public care and support. 

The Care Act 

The main principle of the Care Act 2014 is to help to improve people’s independence and wellbeing. The Care Act promotes person-centred and strength-based approaches to adult social care that results in a a plan that is specific/relevant to the person.

The act requires local authorities to involve adults in their assessment, care and support planning and review. Considering the person’s views and wishes is critical to a person-centred system.   

The key principles in the Care Act for how health and social care professionals work with you are: 

• you know best
• your views, wishes, feelings and beliefs should always be considered
• supporting you in reducing or preventing your need for care
• decisions should be made with your involvement
• your wellbeing should involve family and friends
• to protect you and other people from abuse and neglect
• actions taken to support you affect your rights and freedom as little as possible 

Full version of the Care Act 2014 

Care Act factsheets