Carer Assessment

If you are aged 18 or over, and caring for another adult who lives in Sheffield, you can access a carer’s assessment by contacting Sheffield Carers Centre.

Carers under the age of 18 can also have a carer’s assessment and Sheffield Young Carers >>> can provide information on this.  If you care for someone who lives outside Sheffield, please contact the Adult Social Care team in your local area to request a carer’s assessment.

What is a Carer Assessment?

A carer assessment provides an opportunity to discuss the support or services you might need to help with your caring role. Please read our factsheet >>> that explains what happens when you have a carer’s assessment.

The assessment looks at how caring affects your life, physically, emotionally and practically, and whether you are able or willing to continue caring. Before your assessment, you will be advised to think carefully about how the role affects you and what support you would find helpful.  We will provide some information to support you in this process.

The person carrying out the assessment will discuss with you any support you may receive already and consider with you how other approaches or activities might help. They will also be able to advise, for example, about benefits you may be entitled to and will support you in accessing specialised help.

A carer assessment is not about assessing how well you are carrying out your caring role; it is solely about supporting you as a carer.

Who can have a Carer Assessment?

If you are an adult providing unpaid care for an adult relative or friend, you are legally entitled to have an assessment of your needs as a carer. Any carer, regardless of the amount or type of care provided can ask for an assessment. This is completely separate from the support needs of the person you care for, whether or not their needs have been assessed, and whether or not they receive any formal support. If someone else also provides care for the person you care for, each of you is entitled to an assessment. You do not have to live with the person you care for to be entitled to an assessment.

How are Carer Assessments carried out in Sheffield?

Local authorities are responsible for ensuring carer’s assessments are carried out and that they are carried out as the law requires (Care Act 2014). Sheffield City Council has given the responsibility for carrying this out on their behalf to Sheffield Carers Centre, so you will speak to a Carer Advisor at the Carers Centre for your assessment.

Because the Carers Centre team is carrying out statutory carer’s assessments on behalf of Sheffield City Council, it is important to make you aware that in some circumstances, details of your assessment may be forwarded to the Council and recorded on their database. This will mainly be the case if the person you care for is receiving support from Adult Social Care (within Sheffield City Council). We will discuss this with you at the time of your assessment. If you wish your assessment to remain fully confidential (and not be shared with Sheffield City Council), unfortunately this may limit the support available to you. You will still be able to access all other Carers Centre services.

How can I find out more?

If you would like to discuss this or ask for a carer assessment, call our Carer Advice Line on 0114 272 8362 or email your query to: [email protected]

If you'd like to read more about carer assessments please visit this Carers UK webpage >>>

To remove your name from the waiting list for a carer assessment please visit this webpage >>>