Care Act FAQs
What's care and support?
‘Care and support’ is the term used to describe the help some adults need to live as well as possible with any illness or disability they may have. It can include help with things like getting out of bed, washing, dressing, getting to work, cooking meals, eating, seeing friends, caring for families and being part of the community.
It may also include emotional support at a time of difficulty and stress, helping people who are caring for an adult family member or friend, or even giving others a lift to a social event.
Care and support includes the help given by family and friends, as well as any provided by the council or other organisations.
What did the Care Act change?
The Care Act made care and support more consistent across the country, and was designed to put you in control of the help you receive. Any decisions about your care and support will now consider your wellbeing and what's important to you and your family, so you can stay healthy and remain independent for longer. The changes were introduced in 2015/16.
We now provide more financial help for those who need it, and people with modest means have benefited as a result. There's now also protection from unlimited care costs – you may have heard this referred to as the cap on care costs.
What was wrong with the old system?
As people are now living longer and with a better quality of life, the care and support needs they have are different. The way care and support is provided has to change to reflect this. The Care Act made care and support, and the way we pay for it, clearer, easier to access and more consistent across the whole of England.
Will the changes affect me?
You may benefit from the changes to care and support if you:
- Receive care and support from us or another organisation, either at home or in a care home
- Give unpaid care and support to an adult family member or friend
- Think you may need care and support in the near future, either for yourself or for someone you help
How will the changes affect me?
The changes have meant that more people are able to get the care and support they need, either from us or from other organisations in the community. Different ways to pay for care and support are now available across the whole of England, so people shouldn't have to sell their home in their lifetime to pay for care. People who receive care and support from us have more say over what sort of help they get. There's also more help available for people who give unpaid care and support to an adult family member or friend.
What's the difference between care and support from the council and the NHS?
Care and support organised by us can include help with everyday things like washing and dressing, getting in and out of bed, and keeping your home clean and safe.
As well as care and support organised by us, some people are also eligible to receive help from the NHS. This help may be a nursing service for people who are ill or recovering at home after leaving hospital. It could include things like changing the dressings on wounds or giving medication. If you're eligible for this kind of help, a health professional such as your GP or community nurse should be able to tell you.
In exceptional circumstances, where an adult has a complex medical condition and substantial ongoing care needs, the NHS provides a service called NHS Continuing Healthcare. NHS Continuing Healthcare provides care and support in a person’s home, care home or hospice.
You can find out more about NHS Continuing Healthcare on the NHS website.