Carers assessments

You can request a carer's assessment if you care for someone who is over 18 and they live in Suffolk.

If you're a parent carer supporting someone under 18 visit the Suffolk Family Carers parent carers page for information about carers assessments. If you're a young carer, visit the support for young carers page.

What is a carer's assessment?

You can watch this video which defines what a carer is and introduces the carer assessment and what it involves. You can read more below the video. 

  • A carer's assessment is a conversation which helps to work out what help you may need to support you in your role as an unpaid carer.
  • The assessment/conversation is a chance for you to discuss how your caring responsibilities affect you.
  • Any carer in Suffolk supporting someone over 18 who appears to have needs for support can have an assessment by Suffolk County Council. (This also applies to carers who do not live in Suffolk but provide care for an adult who lives in Suffolk.)
  • At times an assessment is completed by our trusted partner organisations on our behalf, including Suffolk Family Carers.

Why do a carer's assessment?

Suffolk County Council can work with you to explore ways to develop your existing strengths and support. We can also help you to consider how caring impacts on your life and ability to achieve your goals.

Through the assessment, by identifying what is important to you, we can help explore support to improve or maintain your physical and/or mental health and wellbeing (feeling safe and comfortable).

This could include connecting you with local community networks, charities and other organisations or from the council.

How to request a carer's assessment

You can request a carer's assessment by contacting Adult Social Care (Customer First).

Contact Customer First

Alternatively, if you go through an assessment online by completing the self assessment form.

What is a carers supported self-assessment?

The online carers supported self-assessment is used to gather information about an informal carer supporting an adult, living within Suffolk who may need support with some or all of their daily living activities.

The assessment can be completed by the person providing informal/family care or it can be completed by someone else on their behalf where appropriate (e.g. relative; advocate; or other professional).

The assessment is split into two parts:

  • part one, the wellbeing questionnaire; is a chance to consider your situation through a set of targeted questions. Upon completion, a range of advice and information will be provided for you to consider and explore.
  • part two, if you wish to proceed, asks a number of in-depth questions relating to your daily life.

How it works

The assessment/conversation will cover:

  • your caring role
  • whether you're willing and able to carry on providing care
  • whether your caring responsibilities have an impact on your wellbeing (being happy & comfortable)
  • your feelings about caring
  • your physical, mental and emotional wellbeing
  • how caring affects your work, leisure, education, wider family and relationships
  • what you would like to achieve in your day-to-day life
  • whether you need any support
  • whether you qualify for any help from the council

Preparing for your assessment

You might want to think about the following things:

  • do you get enough sleep?
  • is your health affected by caring?
  • can you leave the person you are looking after?
  • are you worried about having to give up work?
  • does caring affect your wellbeing and relationships with others?
  • do you get enough time for yourself?
  • are you worried about other commitments which are being affected by your caring role?

It may also be a good idea to make a list or keep a diary, of everything you do to assist the person you support.

Eligibility for a carer’s assessment

All carers are entitled to an assessment of need (under section 10 of the Care Act 2014), regardless of their nationality or immigration status.

However, services provided under section 20, are subject to eligibility criteria. These services are not available to people who are unlawfully present in the UK - which is why it is important for us to verify your immigration status as part of your carer’s assessment.

This part of the eligibility assessment is explained in the Care Act 2014. Section 21(4) prevents local authorities from providing care and support to a person who is subject to immigration control, hence the nationality and immigration status of the carer must be established.

In Suffolk, nationality is checked by providing identity documents showing nationality such as a birth certificate, passport etc. If such documents are not readily available, certain checks can be carried out to ascertain nationality or immigration status which requires further information such as place of birth and names at time of birth or parents’ names and their places of birth.

After your assessment

All the information gathered during your assessment will help us decide whether you have eligible needs for support from us. This includes the information you provide IF you complete a supported self-assessment.

We do this by using the national eligibility criteria for carers. Read pages 2 to 9 for more information about carers' assessments and eligibility.

If you have eligible needs, we'll agree with you on what outcomes/ needs you want us to meet or wish to achieve.

We can meet your eligible needs by providing:

If you do not have eligible needs, we can still support you by providing: