How adult care and support needs are assessed
Your care and support needs have to be assessed for you to receive social care support from us.
The assessment helps us to understand how your health condition or disability affects your day-to-day life. It also helps us to work out whether you are eligible for care and support from us.
The needs assessment is free and you can ask for one at any time.
Help with the process
You can get help to make sure you are heard, understand your choices and are able to make your own decisions about your care needs during a needs assessment.
The VoiceAbility charity offers a free and confidential service to South Gloucestershire residents. Find out more on our advocacy support page.
Eligibility
We use the same assessment criteria as all other councils in England, as set out in The Care Act 2014.
This makes sure that everyone is treated fairly and equally, wherever they live or if they move between areas.
To be assessed as eligible you need to show that:
- your needs arise from (or are related to) a physical or mental impairment or illness
- the issues you face have a significant impact on your wellbeing
You must also show that you are unable to achieve 2 or more of the below activities:
- eating and drinking
- maintaining personal hygiene
- managing toilet needs
- being appropriately clothed
- being able to make use of your home safely
- maintaining a habitable home environment
- developing or maintaining family or other personal relationships
- accessing and engaging in work, training, education or volunteering
- making use of necessary facilities or services in the local community including public transport and recreational facilities
- carrying out caring responsibilities for a child
How to request an assessment
To ask for an assessment you need to submit a request for help with your care and support needs. (You will be able to choose whether to do it online, by phone or by email).
If your needs are eligible
If your needs are assessed as eligible we will help you to choose the care and support services that will meet those needs.
We may be able to help with the cost of your care and support services but to do this we need to take your financial circumstances into account by completing a financial assessment.
You do not have to tell us about your financial situation if you do not want to, but if this is the case we will assume that you are able to afford to pay for your care yourself.
Find our paying for care and support pages for guidance on the cost of care and options for paying.
If your needs are not eligible
If you are not eligible for social care because your needs do not meet the national criteria, we will offer you information to help you to make choices about alternative care and support.
Some of this support may be free to access.
You have the right to appeal if you are unhappy with the decision we make. Find out how on our adult social care complaints page.
Further information
Find out more about what happens during and after an assessment.
You can read more information about getting a social care needs assessment on the following websites:
If you look after a loved one, friend or neighbour and provide unpaid support and care to them, this makes you a carer.
You can find out more about the help and support available to you, including how to get a carers assessment, on our support and advice for carers page.