How do I get a care needs assessment?
Short answer
Ask your local council’s adult social services — no referral is needed and it is free whatever your savings. If you appear to need care and support, the council must carry out an assessment under the Care Act 2014. The assessment itself usually takes one to two hours.
The care needs assessment is the gateway to everything else in adult social care, and the right to one is broad: anyone who appears to need care and support can request one, and the council must carry it out. Contact adult social services directly by phone or through the council website — you do not need a GP referral, and a family member can request it on your behalf.
What the council can and cannot do
It cannot refuse to assess you because it thinks you have too much money, or because it considers your needs low. Finances are irrelevant at this stage: a separate financial assessment comes later and decides only what you contribute. Even people who will clearly fund their own care benefit from an assessment, because it produces an authoritative record of needs and unlocks advice, equipment and reablement services.
What the assessment covers
It looks at your physical, mental and emotional needs and your wider wellbeing — washing, dressing, eating, medication, getting around the home, keeping the home safe, and maintaining relationships and activities. Prepare for it:
- Ask for the assessment at home, where difficulties are visible.
- Have a family member, friend or advocate with you. The council must arrange an independent advocate if you would otherwise have substantial difficulty being involved.
- Describe your worst days, not your best, and say how long tasks take and what happens when nobody helps.
- Keep a short diary for a week beforehand — it is far more persuasive than trying to recall everything on the day.
What happens next
The council decides whether your needs meet the national eligibility threshold, then, if they do, must produce a care and support plan setting out how they will be met. That normally follows within a few weeks of the assessment.
If you disagree with the outcome, ask for a review in writing, explaining which needs were missed or understated. If that does not resolve it, use the council’s formal complaints procedure and then complain to the Local Government and Social Care Ombudsman. And if you care for someone, remember you have a separate right to a carer’s assessment of your own — it does not depend on the person you care for being assessed.
Related guides
Care Needs Assessment Basics
A care needs assessment is a free evaluation carried out by your local council to find out what help you need with daily living. Anyone who appears to need care and support has the legal right to ask for one under the Care Act 2014, regardless of their financial situation.
6 min
Your Rights Under the Care Act 2014
The Care Act 2014 is the main piece of legislation governing adult social care in England. It sets out the rights of adults who need care and support, and the duties local councils must fulfil. This guide explains the key rights in plain English.
6 min
Financial Assessment (Means Test) in Detail
After a care needs assessment finds eligible needs, the council carries out a financial assessment (means test) to determine how much, if anything, you contribute towards the cost of your care. The rules are detailed and some assets are disregarded — understanding them helps ensure you are not overcharged.
7 min
Carer's Assessment: Your Rights
If you provide unpaid care for a family member or friend, you have a legal right to a carer's assessment from your local council. The assessment looks at your caring role, your own needs and wellbeing, and what support would help you sustain caring without it affecting your health. It is free and does not depend on the financial situation of the person you care for.
5 min
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