Eligibility criteria for social care
Following your care assessment we will use the information gathered in the assessment to decide if you are eligible for support from the council using the national eligibility criteria outlined below. Your social care worker will explain the process to you.
Your needs meet the national eligibility criteria if:
- Your needs arise from, or are related to, a physical or mental impairment or illness (this includes conditions such as physical, mental, sensory, learning or cognitive disabilities or illnesses and brain injuries)
and
- As a result of your needs, you are unable to achieve two or more of the outcomes specified in the table below
and
- As a consequence there is, or is likely to be, a significant impact on your wellbeing
| Specified outcome | Examples of how the council should consider each outcome |
|---|---|
| a) Managing and maintaining nutrition | Does the adult have access to food and drink? Is the adult able to prepare and consume the food and drink? |
| b) Maintaining personal hygiene | Is the adult able to bathe/wash themselves? Can they launder their clothes? |
| c) Managing toilet needs | Can the adult access the toilet unaided? Can they manage their toilet needs? |
| d) Being appropriately clothed | Are they able to dress themselves and be appropriately dressed? Are they able to dress appropriately for different weather conditions? |
| e) Being able to make use of their home safely | Can the adult access their property and move around their home safely? For example, are they able to access and use the bathroom and kitchen facilities? Also, consider fire safety risks. |
| f) Maintaining a habitable home environment | Is the home sufficiently clean and maintained to be safe? Do they need support to sustain their occupancy and maintain amenities such as water, electricity and gas? |
| g) Developing or maintaining family or personal relationships | Is the adult lonely or isolated? Do their needs prevent them maintaining/developing personal relationships? |
| h) Accessing and engaging in work training education or volunteering | Does the adult have the opportunity to apply themselves and contribute to society through work, training, education or volunteering? Can they physically access facility/support to participate? |
| i) Making use of necessary facilities/services in the local community including public transport and recreational facilities or services | Can they get around their community safely and use facilities such as public transport, shops or recreational facilities? Is support needed to attend healthcare appointments? (The council is not responsible for provision of NHS services such as patient transport.) |
| j) Carrying out any caring responsibilities the adult has for a child | Does the adult have any parenting or caring responsibilities? |
In determining whether the adult's needs meet the eligibility criteria, and where the level of an adult's needs fluctuates, we must take into account the adult's circumstances over such period as we consider necessary to establish accurately the adult's level of need.
For more information please see our care and support and meeting your needs policy.
Adult social care contact details
The advice and referral team is your first point of contact for help and support in accessing adult social care and to arrange care and carer assessments and financial assessments.
- Emergency out of hours telephone number: 0330 123 9309
- Locality teams contact details
- Feedback and complaints
- Protect someone