ROTHERHAM METROPOLITAN BOROUGH COUNCIL

ADULT SOCIAL CARE

HEALTH AND WELLBEING

Care Act - Carers’ Eligibility Criteria

Local authorities must consider whether the carer’s need for support arises because they are providing care to an adult. Carers can be eligible for support whether or not the adult for whom they care has eligible needs. The eligibility determination must be made based on the carer’s needs and how these impact on their wellbeing. The determination should be made without consideration of whether or not the adult the carer cares for, has eligible needs.

The carer must also be providing “necessary” care. If the carer is providing care and support for needs which the adult is capable of meeting themselves, the carer may not be providing necessary support. In such cases, local authorities should provide information and advice to the adult and carer about how the adult can use their own strengths or services available in the community to meet their needs.

The second condition that authorities must consider is whether the carer’s physical or mental health is either deteriorating or is at risk of doing so, or whether the carer is unable to achieve any of a list of other outcomes which may apply.

Authorities must be aware that the regulations provide that ‘being unable’ to achieve outcomes, includes circumstances where the carer’s unable to achieve the outcome without assistance. This includes where the carer would be unable to achieve an outcome even if assistance were provided. A carer might, for example, be unable to fulfil their parental responsibilities unless they receive support in their caring role.

Is able to achieve the outcome without assistance, but doing so causes or is likely to cause significant pain, distress or anxiety or endangers. A carer might for example be able to care for the adult and undertake fulltime employment, but if doing both, this causes the carer significant distress, the carer should not be considered able to engage in employment.

Is able to achieve the outcome without assistance but doing so is likely to endanger the health or safety of the carer or any adults or children for whom the carer provides care.

A carer might for example be able to provide care for their family and deliver necessary care for the adult, but, where this endangers the adult with care and support needs, for example, because the adult receiving care would have to be left alone while other responsibilities are met, the carer should not be considered able to meet the outcome of caring for their family.

The third condition that must be met is that local authorities must consider whether the carer is able to achieve these outcomes or if due to nature of their needs they are unable to achieve any of the outcomes. The carer will have eligible needs met if they are unable to achieve any of these outcomes and as a result there is, or there is likely to be, a significant impact on their wellbeing.

Carer's Eligibility Criteria

Criteria	Description
Carrying out any caring responsibilities the carer has for a child	For example, the carer might be a grandparent with caring responsibilities for their grandchildren while the grandchildren's parents are at work.
Providing care to other persons for whom the carer provides care	Local authorities should consider any additional caring responsibilities the carer may have for other adults. For example, a carer may also have caring responsibilities for a parent in addition to caring for the adult with care and support needs.
Maintaining a habitable home environment in the carer's home (whether or not this is also the home of the adult needing care)	The condition of the carer's home is safe and an appropriate environment to live in and whether it presents a significant risk to the carer's wellbeing. A habitable home should be safe and have essential amenities such as water, electricity, and gas.
Managing and maintaining nutrition	Local authorities should consider whether the carer has time to do essential shopping and prepare meals for themselves and their family.
Developing and maintaining family or other personal relationships	Local authorities should consider whether there is a position where their caring role prevents them from maintaining key relationships with their family or friends or from developing new relationships where the carer does not have any other personal relationships.
Engaging in work, training, education or volunteering	Local authorities should consider whether the carer can continue in their job, and contribute to society, apply themselves in education, volunteer to support civil society or have the opportunity to get a job, if they are not in employment.
Making use of necessary facilities or services in local community	Local authorities should consider whether the carer has an opportunity to make use of the local community services and facilities and for example consider whether the carer has time to use recreational facilities such as gyms or swimming pools.
Engaging in recreational activities	The carer has leisure time which might for example be some free time to read or engage in a hobby.