To be eligible for support from the council you must first meet the national eligibility threshold. This is used by all local authorities in the country and has replaced the Fair Access to Care Services (FACS) criteria. The national eligibility criteria is based on:

• whether you need support due to a physical or mental impairment or illness
• the extent that your needs affect your ability to achieve two or more specified activities
• whether, or the extent that, this affects your wellbeing

To be eligible to receive care and support from the Royal Borough of Greenwich, you must meet all three of the criteria.

To request an assessment, please contact Adult Social Care.

National eligibility threshold

When you are first assessed for care and support, we will consider whether your needs are due to a physical or mental impairment or illness. This may include conditions such as:

• physical, mental, sensory, learning or cognitive difficulties
• illness, brain injuries or substance misuse

We will then consider how this affects your ability to carry out the following specified activities:

• Manage or maintain nutrition - this may include whether you have access to food or drink to maintain your nutrition, and whether you are able to prepare or consume your food and drink.
• Maintain personal hygiene - this may include whether you are able to wash yourself and if you can wash your own clothes.
• Manage toilet needs - this includes whether you are able to access and use a toilet and manage your own toilet needs.
• Be appropriately clothed and dressed - this may include being able to get yourself properly dressed and whether you are dressed suitably (that is, keeping warm during the winter).
• Being able to use your home safely - this may include being able to move around your home without the risk of injury, such as using the kitchen, using the stairs or getting in and out of your home.
• Maintain a habitable home environment - this may include whether the condition of your home is suitably clean and maintained to a safe standard. A habitable home is safe and has access to essential amenities such as water, electricity and gas.
• Develop and maintain personal relationships - this may include feeling lonely or isolated because your needs prevent you from being able to maintain relationships with family or friends, or if your needs prevent you from developing new relationships.
• Access and engage in work, training, education or volunteering - this may include whether you are able to access and contribute to work, training, education or volunteering. It will take into account being able to physically access facilities or buildings so you can take part.
• Make use of necessary facilities or services in the community - this may include your ability to get around the community safely (such as using public transport) and to access shops or recreational facilities. This does not include services available through the NHS, such as patient transport, but may include your ability to attend healthcare appointments.
• Carry out any caring responsibilities you may have for a child - this may include any parenting or caring responsibilities you may have for a child.

Examples of being unable to achieve the specified activities

• You are unable to achieve an activity without assistance. This may include times when you need prompting or reminding to carry out the task. For example, some adults may be able to physically wash themselves, but need to be reminded of the importance of good personal hygiene
• You are able to achieve an activity without assistance, but doing so causes you significant pain, distress or anxiety. For example, a person with arthritis may be able to prepare a meal, but doing so leaves them in severe pain and unable to eat
• You are able to achieve an activity without assistance, but doing so puts you or others in danger. For example a person may be able to have a wash, but doing so puts them at risk of falling
• You are able to achieve an activity, but doing so takes significantly longer than normally would be expected. For example a person may be able to dress themselves, but it takes them a long time, leaving them tired and needing to recover afterwards

Assessment of impact 

We will then see if being unable to achieve these activities has a significant impact on your wellbeing. We will consider whether:

• your need for support has a significant impact on your wellbeing
• there are a number of difficulties which combine to have a significant impact on your overall wellbeing.

To do this we will consider how your need for care and support affects you in the following areas of wellbeing (in no particular order):

• personal dignity (including being treated with respect)
• physical, mental health and emotional wellbeing
• protection from abuse or neglect
• your level of control over your day-to-day life (including how you manage your care and support)
• participation in work, education, training and recreation
• social and economic wellbeing
• family and personal relationships
• suitability of living accommodation
• your individual contribution to society

Throughout this process we will consider what is important to you and how your need for support affects you as an individual.