Your assessment of care needs
How can I get care and support?
To identify which care and support services are right for you we need find out about your situation. We call this an ‘assessment of care needs’.
Everyone’s situation is different, and everyone has different care and support needs. So that we can offer the best services to suit you, we need to find out more about how you manage everyday situations.
Who can have an assessment?
All adults (18 or older) who normally live in the Luton council tax area, and feel they have care and support needs are entitled to an assessment. If you don’t normally live in Luton but are here temporarily, you can still request an assessment.
Some examples of why you may feel you need care can include:
- you have a physical disability
- you have a learning disability
- you have a long-term health condition
- frailty due to old age
- mental ill-health
- substance abuse
This list is not exhaustive, and if you feel you have care and support needs you can receive an assessment.
Assessments for carers
If you have taken on caring responsibilities, you can have an assessment of your own, called a carer’s assessment. To learn more about support available for you please visit our carers pages.
What happens at an assessment?
We will visit you at a time and date that suits you, so that we can find out about the things in your daily life that you need help with.
We’ll talk to you about the things that you can and can’t do, and the things that get in the way of your independence and your wellbeing.
Here are some examples of things we will ask you about
Are you struggling with?
- washing and dressing
- using the toilet
- cooking
- eating
- cleaning
- staying healthy and safe
- managing at night
- isolation
- feeling safe
We will also ask you about your interests and activities such as:
- going to college
- shopping
- using the library
- visiting friends
- going to the cinema
- going to places of worship
- your hobbies
Other things you might like to think about:
- what help you already get?
- what you want to maintain or to change?
- when do you want help – and what with?
Can I have someone with me at my assessment?
If it makes you feel more comfortable you can have a partner, relative, friend, neighbour, or your carer with you during your assessment.
If you feel that you need independent help to get your point of view across, you can have an ‘advocate’ with you. Read more about advocacy.
Does having an assessment mean that I will be automatically offered care and support services?
No. We will need to check that you are eligible to receive council-funded care and support. The Government’s Care Act means that the criteria we use to determine eligibility are the same rules which every council across England must use. These eligibility criteria are based on the level of risk to your health and independence. Read our 'Are you eligible for care and support?' page here.
Following your assessment of care needs there will be one of two outcomes:
- you will have eligible needs and we can start to put your care and support package into place
- your needs will not be eligible
If you are not eligible, then you won’t be able to access council-funded care and support services. However, we will still help you by giving you information and advice about local and national organisations that can offer you support.
If you have eligible needs, you may still have to contribute towards the cost of your care and support. 'Read our 'Will I have to pay?' page for more information.
How do I get an assessment of care needs?
If you are struggling with day-to-day activities or if you are worried about someone else, you can contact us to find out if you are eligible for care and support from the Council.
There are several different ways to get an assessment of care needs:
1. Use our online self-assessment portal
Our online self-assessment portal is a quick and easy way to assess your own care needs and determine if you are eligible for support from us. You will be asked questions so we can get an understanding of your needs and get to know you better. The online assessment can also be completed by somebody else on your behalf.
Once you complete the assessment, if you are eligible for care and support from the Council, someone will get in touch with you to find out more about your specific care needs - this might be over the phone or face to face.
There is also an online financial assessment to determine if you or a loved one may be required to contribute towards the cost of your care and a carers assessment to evaluate your own needs as a carer and what support you might need to help you in your caring role.
2. You can give us a call on the numbers below
A member of staff will ask you about your care and support needs and someone may visit you for a face-to-face assessment of care needs.
3. You can be referred to the service by your GP, a health professional, or by anyone who is worried about you.
If someone else has referred you, we will always contact you to make sure you have given your consent to do so. Even if someone else has referred you, your assessment of care needs is about you as an individual. We will listen to your views and wishes and these will be included in the assessment.
If you have a carer, we can also listen and incorporate their views – but only with your consent.
If you are contacting us to request an assessment of care needs for someone else who does not have mental capacity to make their own decisions (which would include being able to give their consent to having an assessment), then we will contact their nominated person or deputy who is legally able to give consent on their behalf. Read our 'Helping people without mental capacity to make decisions' page for more information.
Related pages...
Luton Borough Council, Town Hall, George Street, Luton, Bedfordshire, LU1 2BQ
Tel: 01582 547659 or 547660