Getting needs assessed

This content applies to England only.

Housing laws vary between England and Scotland. Get advice relating to Scotland

If you are finding it difficult to manage at home, you can have an assessment of your needs carried out by the social services department of your council to see what help you may require. This assessment is known as a community care assessment.

What is a community care assessment?

A community care assessment is a review of your personal circumstances and needs, carried out by your council's social services department. Social services will look at how you cope with day-to-day living, and recommend help or equipment that might make life easier for you. For example, they might recommend:

getting some special equipment for your home, such as a stairlift
getting some help with household tasks, such as cooking and cleaning
getting some help with personal care, such as washing and dressing
moving to new accommodation where you can receive more help and support.

Who can get a community care assessment?

Anyone who needs support can get a community care assessment. This might be the case if you:

have a disability
have a learning disability
have a mental health problem
have a chronic illness
are dependent on drugs or alcohol
are an older person.

What if I have a carer?

If you have a carer, for example, a family member or friend who looks after you in your home, they can have their needs assessed too. The social services department will consider what can be done to support them and whether they need to have breaks from caring for you. You can find out more about a carer's assessment from Carers UK.

How do I get a community care assessment?

You can find contact details for your council's social services department on your council's website. You can also ask your GP to make a referral for an assessment. If you are in hospital, you can ask the hospital social work team to request an assessment.

What happens at the assessment?

In order to carry out the assessment, someone from social services and possibly someone from the housing or health department will:

visit you and your family or carer (if appropriate) to talk about your needs, and what kind of help you would like
find out what you can and cannot do for yourself
speak to your doctor, occupational therapist or other medical professionals, if you agree to this.

The social services department should keep in touch with you while the assessment is being carried out.

How long will it take to get an assessment?

There is no time limit for carrying out assessments so, depending on your situation, you may have to wait before you are seen. If you are in an emergency situation (for example, if you are severely disabled and do not have a carer), you should be assessed urgently and services can be provided while this takes place. If your situation worsens while you're waiting for an assessment, let social services know - they may move you up the waiting list.

Once the assessment has been carried out, you may have another wait before you get the services that have been recommended. If you have urgent needs, you should start receiving services immediately.

What happens next?

Once the social services department has assessed your situation, they will draw up a care plan for you. This will set out:

what kind of care or services you need
who will provide the services you need
when they will be provided.

You are entitled to a written copy of the assessment and the care plan, so don't be afraid to ask for one if it is not offered to you.

Will I have to leave my home?

If you want to stay in your home rather than move into supported accommodation, social services will do their best to help you do so by:

recommending special equipment and adaptations that can be carried out at your home to make it easier for you to get around
arranging for you to be provided with support or care at home.

If it is not possible to adapt your home so that it is suitable for your needs, or to provide you with the care you require at home, your housing options could include:

moving to a specially adapted property
moving to sheltered housing
moving to a care home.

What if I'm not happy with the assessment?

If you are unhappy with the way the assessment has been carried out, or with the outcome of the assessment, there are several steps you can take:

first, try speaking to the social work department to sort things out
if you're still not satisfied, your council should have a complaints procedure you can use
if this is unsuccessful, you could consider complaining to the Local Government Ombudsman.

If want to make a complaint, get advice first. Use our Advice services directory to find an advice centre near you.

How do I pay for the services?

Help is available for paying for care and support charges. Once social services have decided on the equipment or services you need, they will either arrange to provide these for you, or arrange for you to receive direct payments, so you can organise and pay for your own services.

Depending on your income and savings, and on the charging policy of your council, you may have to pay for some or all of these services yourself.

Where can I get help and advice?

If you need help to arrange or pay for care, your local Shelter advice centre may be able to help. Many of our local services have advisers specialising in disability and/or care needs and welfare benefits issues as well as housing law. Alternatively, Citizens Advice or other advice centres may be able to help you. Use our directory to find services in your area.