Adult social care

What is adult social care?

  • Adult social care helps people with daily tasks. It lets them live as independently as possible. It is for adults who may need extra help due to age, disability, illness, or other challenges.

Social care can help adults with physical and learning disabilities. It also helps those with physical or mental illnesses. It can help with things like:

  • Heat up food for you (meal preparation).
  • Washing and dressing.
  • Help in the bathroom.

It can provide access to equipment, personal alarms, or carers to help at home. Social care can improve a person's quality of life. It can also provide peace of mind and help people stay safe and comfortable in their own homes.

Care services can provide adult social care. This includes:

  • Care homes.
  • Help at home.
  • Day centres and transport.

These services are usually paid for by:

  1. The council and/or
  2. the person receiving the care.

How much does adult social care cost?

Unlike health services, adult social care is not free. Most people must pay something towards their care.

  • If you have savings above £23,250, you will pay the full costs of your support.
  • If your savings are below £23,250, you may only need to pay for some of your care.

If you have savings of between £14,250 and £23,250, then we will include a tariff income. This will include £1 per week for every £250 in the financial assessment. So, for example:

  • Savings of £14,500 will have a tariff income of £1. (Because you would be £250 over £14,250).
  • Savings of £17,000 will have a tariff income of £11. (Because you would be £2,750 over £14,250).
  • Savings of £23,000 will have a tariff income of £35. (Because you would be £8,750 over £14,250).

You need to complete a financial assessment. This is a means test. It checks your savings and income. It will tell you if you qualify for financial help or if you need to pay in full.

Complain about your social care

Submitting a complaint may feel difficult. But, it's vital to ensure that concerns are heard and improvements made. We aim to address your concerns with empathy and respect.

We want to work together to improve the care experience. To submit a complaint, see our complain about your social care page.

Adult social care standards

Our care standards are set out by the CQC. It also follows standards set by the Department of Health (DoH). The CQC is the social care regulator for England. They aim to provide better care for everyone, in hospitals, care homes, or at home. The DoH sets standards for social care.

The Care Act 2014

The Care Act 2014 created a single law for charging for care and support. This includes discretion on whether to charge or not. If a local authority arranges care to meet a user's needs, they may charge the adult. The exception is if they arrange care and support free of charge.

Do you need to speak to someone?

  • Do you need to speak to someone about your assessment? Call our adult social care team on 020 8901 2680.