What is a carer's assessment?

A carer’s assessment is about you and your role as a carer.  It looks at what you need to help look after yourself and stay safe and well while caring for someone.  By sharing how caring affects your life and what it makes difficult for you, an assessment will help you get support, if you need it. 

Oxfordshire County Council and Carers Oxfordshire work in partnership and are responsible for carers’ assessments in Oxfordshire.  The assessments are used to create support plans to help you stay well and do the things that are important to you.  You will be involved throughout and supported to have choice and control. 

As a carer, you are legally entitled to an assessment no matter how much care you provide or whether the person you support has a formal diagnosis.   You are not obliged to do a carer’s assessment.  You can request to be re-assessed if your circumstances change. 

How to get an assessment

Visit Carers Oxfordshire for the assessment. The website can also help you prepare for your assessment.

You can complete the Carers Assessment form yourself online. Carers Oxfordshire will contact you afterwards to discuss any support you may need. 

Or you can book a phone call with Carers Oxfordshire, who will ask you the assessment questions and fill out the Carers Assessment with you and discuss any support you may need. 

Advice and guidance

Requesting a needs assessment for the person you care for

If the person you care for is not receiving any care services, they may benefit from an assessment of their needs.

They have a right to an assessment, regardless of their ability, to pay for the care they need. They may have:

• sight difficulties
• hearing difficulties
• mental health problems
• frailty because of old age
• learning disabilities
• a short-term illness or injury
• permanent, substantial physical disabilities
• problems related to the misuse of drugs and alcohol.

You should also be able to contribute to the discussion of the needs of the person you care for so your needs are considered when planning services or options for them.

Joint assessment

If you care for an adult, you can choose to have a joint assessment with the person you care for.

If you care for a child

If you care for a child with a disability, your needs can be considered as part of the family assessment, or you can have a separate carer’s assessment.

Contact Oxfordshire County Council for information about a family assessment.

Service charges

• There is no charge for an assessment.
• We do not charge for the services we provide to carers.
• A charge may be made for services we provide to the person you care for, depending on their financial circumstances. 
• There are no charges for services for children under 18.

Finding someone to speak for you

Advocacy is a way of helping children and adults to have their voice heard about important things.