Having a needs assessment

A trained care professional will talk to the person you care for about how they’re managing everyday tasks such as washing, dressing and cooking. The cared for person must be involved in the assessment and their needs and wishes should be taken into account. If someone has complex needs, the assessor should have specialist knowledge or expertise. 

Needs assessments are normally done face-to-face, usually at the home of the cared for person. They can be done online, over the phone or by self-assessment, but only if the person you look after agrees to it.  

The assessor should consider the following:  

• the care and support needs of the person you look after 
• the things that are important to them, such as a need to help with getting dressed or support to get to work 
• their choices and goals, such as maintaining relationships or taking up a new activity 
• the services, advice, information and resources that will stop or slow down any further needs developing 
• their family’s needs. 

You can be involved in the assessment if the person you care for would like this. 

The person you look after will be eligible for help if they answer yes to all three of the following questions. 

1. Do you need support because you have a physical or mental illness or disability?

2. Are you unable to achieve two or more care outcomes?

Care outcomes include someone’s ability to: 

• prepare and eat food and get enough to drink 
• maintain personal hygiene, eg by washing themselves and keeping their clothes clean 
• manage their toilet needs 
• dressing appropriately 
• keep their home safe 
• maintain and develop relationships with friends and family 
• take part in any work, education, training or volunteering they wish to 
• participate in social activities and hobbies 
• use public transport and local services 
• look after any children they’re responsible for 

The assessor must only look at what the person can do for themselves and ignore any support you or others give them. The person must be assessed as unable to achieve an outcome if they can’t do it at all without help, or if doing it causes a lot of pain or anxiety, puts their safety at risk, or takes a lot longer than normal. 

3. Could this have a significant impact on your wellbeing? 

‘Wellbeing’ covers a lot of different areas, including being treated with dignity and respect, relationships with other people, health, safety and protection from abuse or neglect.  

The local council or trust will give the person you care for a copy of their assessment notes. If they qualify for support, the council or trust must then draw up a care and support plan showing how these needs will be met.

If some of their eligible needs are already being met - eg by you as their carer - then the council or trust doesn’t have to meet these needs. However, they can’t just assume you’ll continue to provide the same level of care, so it’s important you’re clear about what you’re able and willing to provide. 

If the person you care for doesn’t qualify for support, they must still be given information and advice on what can be done to meet their needs now and how to prevent their needs getting worse in future.  

What help they get depends on their eligible needs. The council or trust can provide services or direct payments so the person you care for can arrange their own care and support. 

Services might include: 

• disability equipment or home adaptations 
• help from a care worker with things such as washing, dressing or eating 
• residential care  
• access to day centres.