To be eligible for support from the council as a carer, you must first meet the national eligibility threshold. This looks at the areas in which you would benefit from support, and to what extent your role as a carer affects your wellbeing.

Initial eligibility questions

When determining your eligibility we will ask the following questions:

• Is your need for support due to providing necessary care for an adult?
• As a result of your needs, your mental or physical health is deteriorating or at risk of doing so?
• As a result of your needs you are unable to achieve one of the following specified activities:
• carry out any caring responsibilities you may have for a child
• provide care to any other individuals you care for
• maintain a habitable home environment in your own home (whether or not this is the home of the person you provide care for)
• manage and maintain your nutrition
• develop and maintain any family or personal relationships
• engage in work, training, education or volunteering
• make use of necessary facilities or services in the community
• engage in recreational activities?

Impact on your wellbeing 

We will then consider if, as a result of being unable to achieve one of the above specified activities there is a significant impact on the following areas of your wellbeing:

• 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.

What 'unable to achieve' means

Circumstances where you are 'unable to achieve' a specified activity include:

• where you can do the activity, but only with assistance (that is, someone does it for you, someone supervises you, or someone prompts you)
• where you can do it without assistance, but doing so causes significant pain, distress or anxiety
• where you can do it without assistance, but doing so endangers your health and safety, or that of another person.