After an assessment the Council must decide if you are eligible for care and support, there is a national eligibility system set by the Care Act 2014 which must be used.

Eligibility for Adults 

There are three criteria, ALL of which must be met for a person’s needs to be eligible. 

1. The needs arise from or are related to a physical or mental impairment or illness.
2. As a result of those needs the adult is unable to achieve two or more of the specified outcomes:
   • managing and maintaining nutrition
   • maintaining personal hygiene
   • managing toilet needs
   • being appropriately clothed
   • being able to make use of the home safely
   • maintaining a habitable home environment
   • developing and 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 or services
   • carrying out any caring responsibilities the adult has for a child

   3.  As a consequence of being unable to achieve these outcomes there is, or there is likely to be, a significant impact on the adult’s wellbeing

Eligibility for Carers 

This consists of three criteria, all of which must be met for a carer’s needs to be eligible. 

1. The needs arise as a consequence of providing necessary care for an adult
2. As a result of the carers needs either:
   • the carer’s physical or mental health is, or is at risk of, deteriorating
   • because of their caring role the carer is unable to achieve any one, or more, of the following outcomes:
     • carrying out any caring responsibilities the carer has for a child
     • providing care to other persons for whom the carer provides care
     • maintaining a habitable home environment in the carer’s home, whether or not this is also the home of the adult needing care
     • managing and maintaining nutrition
     • developing and maintaining family or other personal relationships
     • engaging in work, training, education or volunteering
     • making use of necessary facilities or services in the local community, including recreational facilities or services
     • engaging in recreational activities.
3. As a consequence of that fact there is, or there is likely to be, a significant impact on the carer’s wellbeing.

‘Wellbeing’

It covers a lot of different areas, including:

• your personal relationships (eg, whether you have a need for more social contact)
• your physical and mental health
• your safety
• your financial wellbeing (such as whether there are any benefits you could be claiming)
• your housing situation
• the control you have over your daily life.

If your needs could have a big effect on at least one of the areas of wellbeing then this could be considered a ‘significant impact’. Or, if your needs have a bit of an effect on several of these areas of wellbeing, this could add up to having a significant impact on your wellbeing as a whole.  

What Happens Next?

If you have eligible needs and want Adult Social Care's help to arrange support we will help you to develop a Care and Support Plan. We will also need to look at your financial circumstances in order to decide if the Council will pay for the support you need or if you will have to pay a contribution towards the cost of this.