If it appears that you have social care needs, we will offer you an assessment.

You can choose to do this by either:

•    completing an online assessment Worcestershire Adults Portal

•    speaking to an advisor by calling 01905 768053 Monday to Thursday 8:30am to 5pm, Friday 8:30am to 4:30pm

If you find this difficult you can ask a friend, relative or your doctor to do this on your behalf. 

Councils are statutorily obliged to support you in this, regardless of whether you access their services. 

Assessment of what outcomes you want to achieve

The assessment (which is free) will consider:

• what your main needs are
• what strengths and resources you are able to draw on
• what options are already available to you to support these needs
• how you can best be supported to live as independently as possible
• your home and how you are coping in it
• your emotional wellbeing
• your diet
• any health and medical treatments you need

Eligibility

We use the national eligibility rules set out within the Care Act 2014 to determine whether you qualify for support from the council. 

A decision on your eligibility can only be made once we understand your needs. 

You must meet all three of the conditions below in order to qualify for support.

1. your needs must come from or be related to a physical, mental health, frailty, impairment or disability
2. you will have difficulty with or cannot do at least two of the everyday tasks or activities (also known as outcomes) because of a physical, mental health, frailty, impairment or disability
3. there is, or there is likely to be, a significant impact on your wellbeing as a result of having difficulty or not being able to do at least two of these everyday tasks

Everyday tasks (outcomes) for adults with care and support needs

• eating and drinking
• managing your personal hygiene
• using the toilet
• getting dressed
• looking after your home
• staying safe in your home
• maintaining, improving or building personal relationships
• managing work, learning and volunteering
• getting out and about
• managing parenting or caring responsibilities for a young person
  
   

Assessment

The assessment (which is free) will consider:

• what your main needs are, as a result of providing essential care for your loved one.
• what strengths and resources you are able to draw on.
• what options are already available to you to support these needs.
• how you can best be supported to continue to care safely, if you are willing and able to do so 
• your emotional wellbeing.
• your ability to work if you wish to do so
• your ability to have social and leisure opportunities, if you wish to do so   
• any health and medical treatments you need

There is a different set of eligibility criteria for carers. 

In order to qualify for support, you must meet all three of the conditions below:

1. your needs must come from providing essential care for an adult
2. you are unable to achieve one or more of the everyday tasks or activities (also known as outcomes) as a result of your caring responsibilities
3. there is, or there is likely to be, a significant impact on your physical and/or mental wellbeing as a result of not being able to do one or more of the everyday tasks or activities

Everyday tasks (outcomes) for carers

• looking after a child
• caring for other adults
• maintaining your home and keeping it clean and fit to live in.
• eating and drinking
• maintaining, improving or building relationships personal relationships
• managing and maintaining work or volunteering role or participating in training or education
• getting out and about
• engaging in a hobbies or activities that are important to you

For further information take a look at support for adult carers

Following your meeting you will be sent a letter telling you of your eligibility decision with a copy of your assessment.  

This will include information about actions agreed with you to meet some, or all, of your needs. 

If you do not have needs that are eligible, we will give you information and advice about what care and support is available to help you.  

For example, this could be from local charities or voluntary organisations. Many of organisations can be found on our Community Services Directory or Support for carers.

If any children in the household have caring responsibilities, we will also provide you with information available to them as young carers. 

If you are eligible to receive adult social care support on a long-term basis, we will talk to you some more, to complete a financial assessment. This will determine whether, and how much, you would be asked to pay towards the costs of your care. 

If you are assessed as needing to pay the full costs of your care, you can make arrangements for yourself. We can provide you with information about care services. Also, take a look at the Care Services Directory.

As a result of your conversations with us, you will have a much better idea of the range of options that are available to you and what to look for when purchasing services.

More information can be found at paying for care.

If you find it difficult to understand or to speak up, you can ask a friend, relative or your doctor to do this on your behalf. 

If you don’t have someone who can speak up for you, someone can from an advocacy organisation can be asked to support you.

 Visit our someone to speak up for you (advocacy) page.  

To ensure people who are 18 years or over, who cannot consent to their care arrangements in a care home or hospital are protected if those arrangements deprive them of their liberty.  

Find out more at Deprivation of Liberty Safeguards (DoLS)