If the term "social care" leaves you scratching your head, you're not alone. In 2019, the Local Government Association surveyed the public to gauge their level of understanding. Over half (48%) of people in England said they had no idea what it meant. There were 44% who thought the NHS covered social services, and another 26% who weren't sure. That's at least seven out of ten people who are confused.
The services and process explained
Social care (in the context of later life) is any support that is provided to meet non-medical needs that arise as people age. Typical examples are; help with shopping and cooking meals or assistance to get dressed. It can also include the provision of monitoring devices and some home adaptations.
Most local authorities have an Adult Social Care section on their website. Here you will find information about:
- benefits
- help that is available to support people as they grow older (via a Care Needs Assessment)
- help for anyone providing unpaid care (via a Carer’s Assessment)
- information about how the council decides if they will deliver services free of charge (the Financial Assessment)
- dementia and disability-related council tax reductions.
Other sections include general information about local support services to help people to stay living in their own home:
- home care (personal care)
- meals (meals on wheels)
- equipment to help at home (monitors, alarms)
- community transport.
In most of England, local authorities are divided into County Councils and District Councils. It’s the County Council that is usually responsible for adult social care. Local authority websites can be difficult to navigate and the adult social care section may be hard to find. Use this link to make your search for the right website section easier. For Wales, Northern Ireland, or Scotland, follow the links below to learn how the systems differ.
What types of assistance are available?*
- a carer to help with personal care tasks
- monitoring devices
- daycare clubs
- lunch clubs
- night-sitting services
- respite care (which includes a temporary stay in a care home)
- a permanent room in a care home
- equipment to help with daily tasks and make things safer, like handrails
- meal delivery
- transport.
* subject to meeting eligibility criteria.
Who pays?
A financial means test is used to figure out if any services will be offered for free.
At the moment, the national means-test threshold is £23,250. If the value of personal assets are higher than this amount, free help is unlikely. Assets include savings and investments (though some benefits are excluded). It won’t include the value of a house, as long as certain classes of relatives still live there. Councils can make their own fee structure, but the majority of them use an entry-level means-test of £23,250.
The local authority contributes to the costs if personal assets are worth more than £14,250 but less than £23,250. If they are valued at less than £14,250, all services will be supplied free of charge. The funding percentage will be confirmed by the council after the financial evaluation is completed.
A care needs assessment is the first step in getting help. It is also called a "social care assessment," a "community care assessment," or just a "needs assessment." The assessment consists of a series of questions meant to identify useful services. A social worker, an occupational therapist, or another person from the council will conduct it. It can happen over the phone, by filling out a form online, or in person. Each local authority has its own way of doing things. Everyone, no matter how much money they have, has the right to an assessment, and councils are legally required to give one if asked. You can ask for an assessment on behalf of someone else as long as they have given you their permission. After the assessment, a proposed plan of care will be presented, and a financial assessment will take place.
Could you just give everything away?
People often wonder if they could give away their belongings in order to qualify for funding. If cash or valuable objects such as art or jewellery are purchased or a property is signed over to someone else, and then an application for authority support is submitted, a claim of fraud may be result.
It's called Deliberate Deprivation of Assets, and it means that assets were reduced on purpose. To be accused of fraud, the local authority must believe the assets were given away intentionally. Intention matters. And the need for care must have been foreseen at the time.
If the authorities think it was done on purpose, they will count the value of the assets given away as though they were still owned and then decide about eligibility for financial support. In contrast to inheritance tax, there is no 7-year rule that says the authority can only look back 7 years. It’s important to be aware of how a change in financial circumstances could be interpreted.
The Care Needs Assessment
To get an assessment, go to the council's website via the link below, then to the Adult Social Care section and look for Request a Needs Assessment. If there has been an accident, a social worker in the hospital may arrange for an assessment before discharge, or a GP can make a referral.
Make sure someone is present to take notes.
The assessment will include questions about where the difficulties are and how they prevent the person from doing what they want to do. As an example:
- getting dressed and undressed
- getting up and going to bed
- eating and drinking
- washing and bathing
- moving around the home
- managing medications
- housework and shopping
- social and cultural activities.
There will be questions about any existing care providers. It is important to state clearly if the help that family members provide is not indefinitely sustainable.
The proposed care plan should include the following information:
- services to be provided, who will arrange them, and how much they will cost
- why the services are being offered, and how they will be of benefit
- what will happen in an emergency
- confirm any already existing help and support
- a date on which the care plan will be reviewed.
A carer, home equipment or adaptations, and services to help anyone who provides unpaid support could all be part of the plan. A package that includes social care, nursing care, health services, and housing services could be proposed.
Support services should be implemented as soon as possible. If you think the wait is too long, you can file a complaint with the social work department.