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 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:
  1. carry out any caring responsibilities you may have for a child
  2. provide care to any other individuals you care for
  3. maintain a habitable home environment in your own home (whether or not this is the home of the person you provide care for)
  4. manage and maintain your nutrition
  5. develop and maintain any family or personal relationships
  6. engage in work, training, education or volunteering
  7. make use of necessary facilities or services in the community
  8. 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.