Carer's assessments

 

The assessment isn’t to judge your ability to care. You don’t have to feel that it is your responsibility to provide all the care that the person you look after needs or feel guilty that you can’t do it all.

During your assessment you are encouraged to talk about what areas are working well, what you enjoy doing and, without support, what you struggle with in order to provide the care the person you look after needs.

Before your assessment, you should think about the following:

• Will you be able to talk freely if the person you look after is present?
• Do you want to, or are you able to, carry on caring for the person you look after?
• Are there any family, friends or neighbours who support you in your caring role?
• Is there a plan in place to look after the person you care for if you were suddenly unable to care for any reason? Do you need support to put a plan in place?
• Do you have any physical or mental health problems, including stress or depression, that make your role as a carer difficult?
• What might a good day/week look like?
• Does being a carer affect your relationships with other people, including family and friends?
• Are there things that you find enjoyable and relaxing that you struggle to do now because of your caring role? For example hobbies, seeing friends, exercise?
• If you have a job, does your employer know you are a carer? Do you and they know about your rights? E.g. time off in an emergency and carers leave.
• What might make juggling working and caring easier for you?
• Without additional support, is there a risk that you might not be able to continue caring for the person you look after?
• Do you have time to look after your own health and wellbeing?
• What aspects of your caring role do you enjoy or that you feel you do well?
• What aspect of your caring role do you struggle with? Who or what could help you?

If it’s useful you can make notes regarding the above to use during your assessment. It might help to talk things through with family and friends, or keep a diary for a week about the care you are providing and how it affects you.

 

Following the assessment we will make a plan to help support you. We will also let you know whether you are entitled to a carer’s personal budget. We use the national eligibility criteria for carers (Care Act 2014) to help us make this decision.

Carers who do not meet the national eligibility criteria can still access the wider support from the Lincolnshire Carers Service. If at any time you feel that things you do to look after your relative or friend has changed or increased you can ask for another assessment.

 

A carer meets the eligibility threshold if all three criteria are met:

1. A carer’s needs for support arises because they are providing necessary care to an adult. For example, if the carer is providing care and support for needs which the adult is capable of meeting themselves, the carer may not be providing necessary care
2. As a result of the caring responsibilities, the carer’s physical or mental health is either deteriorating or is at risk of deteriorating; or the carer is unable to achieve any of the following outcomes:

• Carrying out any caring responsibilities the carer has for a child
• Providing care to other persons for whom the carer provides care
• Maintaining a habitable home environment in the carer’s home
• Managing and maintaining nutrition
• Developing and maintaining family or other personal relationships
• Engaging in work, training, education or volunteering
• Making use of necessary facilities or services in the local community including recreational facilities or services
• Engaging in recreational activities

    3.  As a consequence of being unable to achieve these outcomes, there is, or there is likely to be, a significant impact on the carer’s wellbeing.

 

A carer’s personal budget is an amount of money that may be allocated to you following a carer’s assessment. The money can be used to buy services and equipment which will help you in your caring role as identified in your plan.

A personal budget is given to carers as a direct payment. This can be a one off, 4 weekly or monthly payment that can be paid directly via an AllPay Card, similar to a debit card that you will have access to. The payment is awarded annually, and will be reviewed every 12 months.

Using a carer’s personal budget

The personal budget can be used in many different and creative ways to meet your eligible support needs, as long as what you are spending it on is in line with your plan. These many different and creative ways will be discussed between you and your assessor.

The personal budget cannot be spent on illegal activities, debts and bills, gambling, alcohol, or drugs (this list is not exhaustive).

You must keep a record of how the money has been spent (keep all receipts and invoices) and the AllPay account is viewable by both yourself and the assessor.

Accessing a carer’s personal budget

To receive a carer’s personal budget you must have a carer’s assessment. If your assessed needs meet the national eligibility criteria you might be allocated a personal budget. An initial budget will be discussed with you after your assessment to create a support plan. The support plan will detail your needs and how they could be met using your circle of support and personal budget. The final amount will be agreed by the Lincolnshire Carers Service and managers at Lincolnshire County Council.