What happens after my assessment?

What happens after my assessment?

After assessing your needs, your local council will determine whether you are eligible for help. Each council is allowed to set its own criteria for this (in other words, it decides how severe a person's need has to be before it will provide support).  

Even if you're not eligible for help, the council should still give you information and advice about getting care services for yourself.

How does my local council decide whether I'm eligible for help?

The council should take into account:

• what level of care you need, and
• how much you would be at risk if you did not get help.

If the council decides that you do meet its eligibility criteria, it should then:

• draw up a care plan , and
• look at your finances to decide how much you should paytowards the cost of your care.

If the council decides that you do not meet its eligibility criteria, and will not provide help, it should tell you why in writing. If you don't agree with the council's decision, you can challenge it.

How does my local council decide whether I’m eligible for help?

The council should take into account:

• what level of care you need, and
• how much you would be at risk if you did not get help.

If the council decides that you do meet its eligibility criteria, it should then:

• draw up a care plan, and 
• look at your finances to decide how much you should pay towards the cost of your care.  

If the council decides that you do not meet its eligibility criteria, and will not provide help, it should tell you why in writing. If you don't agree with the council's decision, you can challenge it.

What is a care plan?

A care plan should set out:

• what care you need
• what you should get (your 'care package')
• who will provide it
• what you might have to pay for it, and
• when the plan will be reviewed.

Your care package might include, for example, a care assistant coming in to help you wash and dress; meals on wheels; and respite care.

If you have a carer, your plan should also show what help your carer has agreed to give you.

You should be given a copy of your care plan.

Once your care plan has been drawn up, you should start getting that care promptly. Councils should not operate waiting lists for services or assessments, but if you do have to wait for a service you need (for example, because there is a shortage of suitably trained care assistants), then your local council should make other arrangements for you in the meantime.

If you are not getting the care that is set out in your care plan, you should let the council's social services department know.

What if my needs change?

Your local council should regularly review your care plan, at least once a year.

But if your circumstances change at any point, you can ask to be assessed  again. Your carer can ask too.

And if your local council wants to take away or reduce what you get, it must reassess you first. It cannot take away services just because it is short of money, and it cannot take them away if that would leave you at 'severe physical risk'.