The Care Act: assessment and eligibility

The Care Act 2014 sets out in one place, local authorities’ duties in relation to assessing people’s needs and their eligibility for publicly funded care and support.

Under the Care Act 2014, local authorities must:

• carry out an assessment of anyone who appears to require care and support, regardless of their likely eligibility for state-funded care
• focus the assessment on the person’s needs and how they impact on their wellbeing, and the outcomes they want to achieve
• involve the person in the assessment and, where appropriate, their carer or someone else they nominate
• provide access to an independent advocate to support the person’s involvement in the assessment if required
• consider other things besides care services that can contribute to the desired outcomes (e.g. preventive services, community support)
• use the new national minimum threshold to judge eligibility for publicly funded care and support.

Assessment and eligibility resources

SCIE has developed a range of resources to support local authority staff, social workers and others involved in assessment and eligibility.

• Process map: A flowchart of the processes involved in assessment and eligibility with accompanying description of each stage.
• Supported self-assessment guide: a short guide to minimum standards and the approach to supported self-assessment.
• Ensuring assessment is proportionate guide: a guide to ensuring assessment is both proportionate and appropriate.
• Eligibility guide: a guide to what is involved in understanding and making eligibility determinations
• Working with fluctuating needs guide: a short guide on what to consider in relation to fluctuating needs
• Assessing fluctuating needs film: two people talk about how their needs can fluctuate and the impact this has on the care and support they need.
• Using a strengths-based approach guide: a guide to how a strengths-based (or asset-based) approach works in relation to assessment.
• Practice examples: a selection of examples to help practitioners explore assessment issues.

Implementation support

• Care Act training: Bespoke training to understand and implement the Care Act

Related information

Fair access to care services (FACS): prioritising eligibility for care and support

Care and support reform programme

Care Act 2014: statutory guidance for implementation

Keep up to date

Make sure you know when we publish our new resources on the Care Act. Register for the SCIELine ebulletin.

To register for the Care and Support Reform bulletin, email CareBillReform@local.gov.uk