ROTHERHAM METROPOLITAN BOROUGH COUNCIL

ADULT SOCIAL CARE

HEALTH AND WELLBEING

Care Act – Eligibility Criteria

The eligibility threshold for adults with care and support needs is set out in the Care and Support (Eligibility Criteria) Regulations 2014 (the ‘Eligibility Regulations’).

The threshold is based on identifying how a person’s needs affect their ability to achieve relevant outcomes, and how this impacts on their wellbeing. In considering whether an adult with care and support needs has eligible needs, local authorities must consider whether:

The adult’s needs arise from or are related to either a physical, mental, sensory, learning or cognitive disabilities or illnesses, substance misuse or brain injury and as a result of the adult’s needs the adult is unable to achieve two or more of the specified outcomes (see attached).

As a consequence of being unable to achieve these outcomes there is, or there is likely to be, a significant impact on the adult’s wellbeing.

The first condition that local authorities must be satisfied about is that the adult’s needs for care and support are due to a physical or mental impairment or illness and that they are not caused by other circumstantial factors.

Please see the following eligibility criteria:

Eligibility Criteria

Outcome	Details	ü
Managing and maintaining nutrition	Unable to eat the meal OR is able to achieve the outcome without assistance but doing so causes the adult significant pain, distress or anxiety. For example, an older person with severe arthritis may be able to prepare a meal but doing so will leave them in severe pain and unable to eat the meal OR need prompting, reminding to eat the meal
Managing personal hygiene	Unable to achieve the outcome without assistance / with assistance OR Need prompting, for example some adults may be physically able to wash but need reminding to do so.
Managing toileting needs	Unable to access the toilet or manage their toileting needs without support
Being appropriately clothed	Unable to dress themselves OR Ability to be appropriately dressed, for instance in relation to the weather to maintain their health OR For example, an adult with a physical disability is able to dress themselves but it takes them a long time, leaves them exhausted and prevents them from achieving other outcomes.
Being able to make use of the home safely	Unable / ability to mobilise around the home Unable to achieve the outcome with assistance need support for example getting up steps or accessing the bathroom and with access to the property, steps leading to the home.
Maintaining a habitable home environment	Need support to maintain a safe clean environment and need support, unable to sustain their occupancy of the home and to maintain amenities, such as water, electricity and gas.
Developing and maintaining family or other personal relationships	The adult is lonely or isolated and their needs prevent them from maintain the personal relationships they have or their needs prevent them from developing new relationships.
Accessing and engaging in work, training, education or volunteering	The adult has an opportunity to apply themselves and contribute to society through work, training, education or volunteering. This includes the physical access to any facility and support with participation in the relevant activity.
Making use of necessary facilities or services in the local community, including public transport and recreational facilities	Adult’s ability to get around in the community safely. Ability to use such facilities as public transport or recreational facilities.
Carrying out any caring responsibilities the adult has and/or child	Local authorities should consider any parenting or other caring responsibilities the person has. The adult may for example be a step parent with caring responsibilities for their spouse’s children.