A carer’s assessment is available from the local authority for anyone caring for an elderly parent or relative who may need some support themselves. It may be you, or one parent caring for the other.
It is easy to under-estimate the impact of caring for someone. A carer’s assessment will focus entirely on the person caring and the impact on your physical and mental health, ability to work and, crucially, your day to day life including hobbies, friends and relationships.
What you need to know about carer's assessments
Anyone who provides care and feels they might benefit from some support will be entitled to an assessment, if they are caring for another adult
Considerations include:
• Whether their physical or mental health is at risk of deteriorating, or is already declining, preventing them from both caring and living their own life.
• Whether they are unable to achieve any of a list of specified outcomes (including things like maintaining family relationships or engaging in hobbies, sport, other activities) and this has a significant impact on their wellbeing.
The focus is on the carer’s ability to continue to provide care for someone else. It can be arranged on its own or in conjunction with a care needs assessment for the person being cared for.
How do you know you're a carer?
You’re a carer if you’re looking after someone regularly because they’re ill, they’re an older person or they’re disabled – including family members. Carers help with:
- Washing, dressing or taking medicines.
- Getting out and about and travelling to GP appointments.
- Shopping, cleaning and laundry.
- Paying bills and organising finances.
They can also give emotional support by:
- Sitting with someone to keep them company
- Watching over someone if they can’t be left alone
All of these count as important elements of a carer’s life for the purposes of a carers assessment.
Who is eligible for a carer's assessment?
You will be eligible if the care is regular and substantial and you feel that your caring role affects your wellbeing or ability to lead a “normal” life.
You do not need to live with the person you care for or be related to them.
What does the assessment include?
A social worker or someone from the local authority will undertake the assessment. It will cover:
- Your caring role – how often and the type of tasks you carry out:
- Your health – how your caring duties impact your health and wellbeing.
- Daily activities – do your caring duties prevent you from working, studying, spending time with family and friends, organising your own life?
- Your mental health – how you feel as a carer and how it may or may not be impacting your mental health.
- Financial health – is your caring negatively impacting your personal finances?
You can have a friend, relative or advocate to support you while you have the assessment.
- Contact your local council's adult social care team.
- Don't wait until you or a parent is struggling – it's best to ask for help early.
- Prepare for the assessment by writing down how caring affects your daily life.
- Be honest – it's not about coping or managing – it's about your real needs.
What support might be available?
The support that might be available will depend upon the outcome of the assessment, but it could include:
- Practical help at home, such as respite care for the carer.
- More help at home providing services or support for the person cared for.
- Signposting to financial support, such as carer’s allowance, that might be available.
- Counselling or other suggestions to support mental and general wellbeing such as exercise classes, or support groups.
The local authority should provide a plan for the support that has been identified, how it will be given, and when it will be reviewed.
Why apply for a carer's assessment?
You – or a parent caring for the other – may feel that you don’t want to ask for help, but caring for the carer is a priority and a carer’s assessment will help identify some of the support that could make life easier – for you and for the person being cared for.
