Carers needs assessment

If you're aged 18 or over and think you might need support as a carer, you may benefit from a Carer Needs Assessment.  

What is a Carer Needs Assessment? 

A Carer Needs Assessment is all about you, rather than the friend or family member you care for.  The assessment looks at the impact that caring has on your life. It's used to identify advice and assistance, tailored to you, that can support you in your role as a carer while also managing your own health and wellbeing.  A Carer Needs Assessment should result in you getting support that is right for you.

There are three types of assessment:

• A self assessment this is a form that you can complete yourself. A self assessment gives you the opportunity to assess your own needs and the best way for you to meet them. Before completing the self assessment form, please read the guide to assessing your own needs. The Carers Centre will also be able to assist you with the form.

• An assessment at the Carers Centre. Staff at the Carers Centre can help you to fill in an assessment form then send it to the council on your behalf. During the assessment, you'll be asked about the help and support you provide; what caring you can continue to provide and what would make it easier for you. You'll also have the chance to talk about anything that's worrying you.

• An assessment with a Social Worker or other social care professional.  If a Social Worker is meeting with the person you care for to discuss their needs, they should also be talking to you (and any other carers) about whether you need any help. This will be a facilitated discussion, which can take place either jointly with the person you care for or separately. You can also ask for a Carer Needs Assessment by phoning adult social care on 0300 303 6070 (9am-5pm, Monday to Friday). You'll be asked which you would prefer. 

Following the assessment, we'll discuss how you want to meet your needs. This could be through a combination of support from your friends and family, the community and council services. We'll also find out if you’re eligible for a carers direct payment or if we can help you take a break from caring.  

Some types of support are available to carers with or without an assessment. Others (such as direct payments and respite care for the person you care for) are only available to carers after an assessment, depending on eligilbity.

The criteria we use to figure out who is eligible for support is set out in the 2014 Care Act.  

What about the person I care for?

The help you need as a carer will be closely linked to the help needed by the person you care for.  You can find out more about getting help for the person you care for here.

It is important to note that you can have a Carer Needs Assessment even if the person you care for refuses help, or even if the person you care for doesn't receive council-funded support.

If you need a Carers Needs Assessment please contact The Carers Centre Tower Hamlets on 020 7790 1765 (9am-5pm, Mon-Fri) or complete the registration form and a member of the team will be in touch.