Adult care: Eligibility for help

After a care assessment, we decide how you might receive help and support.

Your eligibility for support depends on:

• whether your needs prevent you from being able to do specific things
• how much this affects your wellbeing

How we decide eligibility

As set out in the Care Act 2014, there is a three-stage process to determine whether a person's needs are eligible:

1. The needs must arise from or be related to a physical or mental impairment.  
2. As a result of the needs a person cannot do two or more of the following:
   • Access food and drink, prepare and consume it
   • Maintain personal hygiene
   • Access and use the toilet
   • Dress themselves appropriately for the weather
   • Move safely around the home
   • Keep their home habitable
   • Develop and maintain family and/or personal relationships
   • Access work, training, education or volunteering
   • Make use of necessary services in the community (for example, public transport)
   • Carry out caring responsibilities that an adult has for a child
3. There is a significant impact on wellbeing as a consequence of not being able to do two of these things.

We will provide you with a copy of our decision after we’ve made it.

If you’re not eligible

If you are not eligible for help, we will provide guidance about what can be done to:

• meet or reduce your needs straightaway
• prevent needs from developing in the future

For example, we may provide information on services in the community to help you with meals, cleaning or mobility.

You can browse the support at home section of the services directory for more information and details of services available.

Further information:

• Adult social care assessment and eligibility policy (PDF)