Adult Social Care Glossary, v 0.6

9 Assessment of an adult's needs for care and support

(1) Where it appears to a local authority that an adult may have needs for care and support, the authority must assess--
(a) whether the adult does have needs for care and support, and
(b) if the adult does, what those needs are.

(2) An assessment under subsection (1) is referred to in this Part as a 'needs assessment'.

(3) The duty to carry out a needs assessment applies regardless of the authority's view of--
(a) the level of the adult's needs for care and support, or
(b) the level of the adult's financial resources.

(4) A needs assessment must include an assessment of--
(a) the impact of the adult's needs for care and support on the matters specified in section 1(2),
(b) the outcomes that the adult wishes to achieve in day-to-day life, and
(c) whether, and if so to what extent, the provision of care and support could contribute to the achievement of those outcomes.
[Further provisions made in sub-sections (5) to (7) - see source document]

10 Assessment of a carer's needs for support

(1) Where it appears to a local authority that a carer may have needs for support (whether currently or in the future), the authority must assess—
(a) whether the carer does have needs for support (or is likely to do so in the future), and
(b) if the carer does, what those needs are (or are likely to be in the future).

(2) An assessment under subsection (1) is referred to in this Part as a “carer's assessment”.

(3) “Carer” means an adult who provides or intends to provide care for another adult (an “adult needing care”); but see subsections (9) and (10).

(4) The duty to carry out a carer's assessment applies regardless of the authority's view of—
(a) the level of the carer's needs for support, or
(b) the level of the carer's financial resources or of those of the adult needing care.

(5) A carer's assessment must include an assessment of—
(a) whether the carer is able, and is likely to continue to be able, to provide care for the adult needing care,
(b) whether the carer is willing, and is likely to continue to be willing, to do so,
(c) the impact of the carer's needs for support on the matters specified in section 1(2),
(d) the outcomes that the carer wishes to achieve in day-to-day life, and
(e) whether, and if so to what extent, the provision of support could contribute to the achievement of those outcomes.
[Further provisions made in sub-sections (6) to (12) - see source document]

[S.11/S.12 provide further detail.]