A carer’s assessment will look at your existing support network, for example, family or friends. It considers the things that you want or need to achieve outside of your caring role and the impact this has on your ability to carry out those activities and how this affects your wellbeing.
It’s not about judging your ability or the way in which you carry out your caring role. Its purpose is to help you to continue to care if you want to - so it benefits you and the person you care for. If you feel you’re unable to continue in your caring role, we can look at what options might be available for you or the person you care for.
How will completing a carer’s assessment help me?
You’ll be offered information and advice, signposting and support you can access locally where appropriate. You may also be eligible for a carers personal budget.
How will a carer’s assessment help the person I care for?
Your carer’s assessment may prompt the person you care for to have an Adult Care and support assessment or a review of their care and support needs to ensure that they are getting appropriate support for themselves. This may alleviate pressure on you.
It is important to remember that if you don’t look after yourself, you may not be able to provide support for the person you care for. Your carer’s assessment may help to address some of the stress and anxiety you might be feeling.
Can I have a carer’s assessment?
You can choose to have a separate carer’s assessment or a combined assessment with the person you care for.
You’re entitled to a carer’s assessment by Leicestershire Adult Social Care (ASC) if:
- the person you care for lives in the county of Leicestershire
- you’re both over the age of 18
- you can answer yes to at least one of the following:
- your caring role is having an impact on your physical or mental health
- you need to consider the person you care for before you can make plans for yourself
- you’re finding it difficult to balance other commitments with your caring role – for example managing your own house, seeing friends and family, or work or education
You’ll be entitled to an assessment regardless of:
- the amount or type of care you provide
- your financial means
- whether the person you care for has eligible care and support needs or doesn’t wish to be assessed by Adult Social Care
- your level of need for support
- whether you live with the person
- whether you receive carers allowance or not from the Department of Work and Pensions (DWP)
You won’t be able to apply to us for a carer’s assessment if you’re:
- receiving a wage to provide care
- providing care as part of your work for a voluntary organisation
-
an unpaid carer for someone who doesn’t live in Leicestershire - if the person you care for lives outside of Leicestershire, you’ll need to apply to their local authority
How do I apply for a carer’s assessment?
You can apply online using the carer's assessment form below which will take about 20 minutes to complete and will ask you questions about you and the person you care for.
You'll need an email address to register and you can complete the form yourself or get someone to do it for you.
Find further information and guidance about the Adult Social Care Portal.
If you’ve had a carer’s assessment before and were eligible for a carer's personal budget, you can use this online carer’s assessment to re-apply.
Complete the carers assessment at Adult Social Care online
or you can request a carers assessment or a combined assessment with the person you care for by contacting Adult Social Care
If you require further support in your caring role and want to see what options are available to you, please continue to complete the carers assessment and one of the team will contact you.
If you are unable to continue in your caring role and need support to find a solution for this, please call our customer service centre on 0116 305 0004.
What if I’m not eligible for a carer's assessment?
If you’re not eligible to apply for the carer’s assessment, please search our Looking after someone section of the website for carer's information and support.
What happens after I have completed the assessment?
When you submit your online form, you’ll receive an acknowledgement.
An Adult Social Care worker may contact you if we need to ask a few more questions.
You’ll be provided with information and advice and may be eligible for a carer's personal budget.
You’ll be informed of the outcome of your assessment as soon as possible – we are currently experiencing a high volume of requests, so this may take several weeks.
What if things change in the future?
If your caring role changes or is about to change, and the impact on your day to day life has increased, you can contact Adult Social Care or complete a new online carer’s assessment form.