Care and support for adults in Swindon

What is adult social care?

If you or someone you know needs support with everyday tasks, social care might be right for you. Social Care includes someone providing practical support such as person care or prompting support such as talking you through carrying out a task.

Paying for social care

Please note: It is important to understand that social care from any local authority, unlike the NHS, is not free. Please read more about what you might need to pay and make sure you're comfortable with this before contacting us.

Adult Social care includes:

  • assessment of your needs
  • provision of service or allocations of funds through a personal budget to enable you to purchase your own care and support such as:
    • adaptations to your homes, equipment and gadgets to support you to live your life as independently as possible
    • care and support in your own home or to help you access the community
    • care and support in a care home
    • a direct payment to help you to arrange your own care and support
    • different types of housing such as supported housing or extra care housing

Social care provides support to live your life, if you need support with everyday tasks due to having a health condition or illness. 

If you need support with the following you may need social care support: 

  • Looking after yourself
  • Looking after your home
  • Looking after your money
  • Being able to socialise
  • Being able to work or volunteer

You may only need support for a short while or maybe, you need something a little longer term.

We can provide advice, guidance and/or support in both situations. If you appear to have care or support needs you have a legal right to an assessment of your care needs and finances. 

If you are concerned about abuse or neglect, that’s something else. You should report a safeguarding concern if you or another adult you know is experiencing, or is at risk of, abuse or neglect.


Other useful services

Before you get in contact to discuss your care and support needs, you should also consider if any of the services below are more appropriate.

There are many services available that could help with things like:

  • housework
  • cleaning
  • food shopping
  • meals

You can visit our support at home service directory. Here you will find details of organisations that may help you live independently.

If life feels to hard and you’re in crisis you shouldn’t have to manage it alone. Remind yourself that you won't feel this way forever. Urgent support and tools you can use to keep yourself safe are provided below.

Urgent mental health support

If you are concerned about someone who may harm themselves, please see the NHS website.

  • Call 999 if can’t keep yourself or others safe
  • Dial NHS 111, then press option 2 for urgent help
  • Phone the Samaritans on 116 123 or visit the Samaritans website

Tools and resources to keep yourself safe

If you are  struggling with your mental health which you feel is  not improving with self-help - NHS tools, the first thing you should do is speak with your GP, or if you have one, your Lead Practitioner in your Community Mental Health team.

Mental health issues are common and treatable. The sooner you seek help, the better. Please also check out the support available both locally and nationally.

You can search our mental wellbeing webpage for support and services in your area offered by local charities, community groups, businesses and other organisations.

Swindon Carers Centre supports unpaid carers with:

  • mutual support, social contact and access to services
  • the Carers Support Line, providing help, guidance and advice to carers in their caring role
  • 1:1 support, a complete carer’s assessment and talk through, either face-to-face or by telephone
  • providing specialist benefit checks, to make sure you and the person you care for are getting the correct level of benefits
  • help accessing funding, if eligible
  • carer groups and activities
  • access to breaks and complementary therapies, training sessions and self-help groups
  • bereavement support following the death of your dependant

You can access these services directly through Swindon Carers Centre.

Live Well Swindon is the first point of contact if you want to make lifestyle changes.

Information, advice and signposting on a range of lifestyle topics is available, such as:

  • being more physically active
  • weight management
  • stopping smoking
  • connecting to community life; volunteering, befriending for ongoing companionship
  • managing a long-term health condition

To find out more, contact the Live Well Hub on 01793 465513 or visit Live Well Swindon Hub. To make a referral, complete the online form below:

Live Well Swindon Hub referral form

Citizens Advice Swindon provides advice on debt, benefits, employment, immigration, legal, consumer issues and much more.

To find out more, contact them on 0344 4994 114 or visit the Citizen Advice Swindon website.

For health services such as compression stockings and eye drops, contact your community nurses or your GP.

Community nurses provide care to patients at home or in residential homes, many of whom have long-term conditions or disabilities. This includes assessment, advice and treatment.

Community nurses will also work with you and your family, often in partnership with other health care professionals.

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