Eligibility for help
This page gives you more information about how we decide whether you can receive help and support from Adult Social Care.
We use a process called Fair Access to Care Services (FACS) to determine whether you qualify for social care support. FACS is a national system that every English council uses to ensure that social care is offered in a fair and transparent way.
From 1st April 2011 the Council offers services to people who are assessed as having substantial or critical needs and will no longer provide services to new people assessed with moderate needs.
People assessed as having moderate needs before the 1 April 2011 will continue to receive ongoing support from Adult Social Care.
How will you decide if I’m eligible for services?
The Adult Social Care Access Team complete an initial assessment to understand the nature of your concern or problem. We may then do a further assessment to work out your specific difficulties or problems and the support you need. We’re happy for you to involve a carer, relative or friend.
During the assessment we’ll look at your needs and consider them against the FACS categories to determine your eligible needs. This will take into account the support which carers, relatives and friends are willing and able to offer. For example, if you cannot wash or dress yourself without help but can do so with the assistance of a carer and the carer is happy to maintain their caring role in this way, both currently and in the longer-term, we would not treat these as eligible needs
Eligibility criteria
(pdf, 22KB)
What if I don’t qualify for services?
We’ll still be able to give you information about alternative sources of support and help put you in touch with any services that might be helpful for you. There is also a small range of services to keep you independent provided outside the eligibility threshold which are:
- Supported employment for people with a learning disability or a mental health problem
- Hot or frozen meals (paid for by the service user),
- Small pieces of equipment to help with daily living tasks such as dressing or using the toilet and specialist equipment for people with hearing and sight loss,
- Short term rehabilitation services for people with hearing or sight loss.
- Reablement services for up to 6 weeks
- Benefits check this service offers support and advice about state pensions and other benefits that you may be entitled to.
We know this may seem very complicated, so if you’d like us to explain it to you, please get in touch with the Adult Social Care Access Team.
Please contact me about this service
If you’re still unsure you can contact the Adult Social Care Access Team