If you are supporting someone to live independently at home, you have a right to a carer’s needs assessment.
You have this right even if:
- you are combining a job with your caring role
- the person you care for does not want help from social services
- you do not live with the person you care for – or you live away
- someone else is helping to care for the other person
- you are not caring now but intend to start caring in the future
How to arrange a carer’s needs assessment
Your local council should offer you a carer’s needs assessment as soon as it realises that you need support. For most carers, this is when the cared-for person’s needs are assessed or reviewed. You can request a carer’s assessment even if your local council is unaware of your caring role.
You still have the right to a carer’s needs assessment even when the person you are looking after is not receiving social care services. This could be because they didn’t want their needs assessed or because their ‘eligible’ needs were being met by you and/or other preventative services.
If you cannot continue caring
If you have had a carer’s needs assessment but are now unable or willing to continue in your caring role, tell social services. They will arrange for the other person’s needs to be re-assessed, this time without taking the care you provided into account.
More information
Carers UK has produced comprehensive guidance about assessments for carers in Wales.