Accessing information on disability care needn’t be confusing. Both disabled people and their carers may be eligible for various types of financial and practical support. To gauge a person’s needs, social services carry out community care assessments, children’s assessments or carer’s assessments, as appropriate. These are then evaluated against certain criteria, which may vary according to local authority. Social services are required by law to assess both disabled people and their carers, but their duty to provide care for a disabled person depends upon assessment results.

Once this process has been carried out, local authorities may provide home care services, residential care, and/or various housing services. Home care services include assistance from care workers and the provision of specialised equipment. Residential care might involve day centres, temporary rehabilitative stays or permanent residential care. Housing services include home adaptations and the provision of disabled parking facilities.

Disabled people and their carers may be able to access equipment such as wheelchairs, scooters, equipment such as bed raisers and grab rails, alarms and telecare systems. Telecare systems enable the home of a disabled person to be monitored via links with a call centre. Accessible toys for disabled children and sensory stimulation equipment are also available.

Some services are provided free of charge but others need to be paid for. Those evaluated during their assessment as having a “primary health need”, with a requirement for ongoing care due to a serious medical condition, will be eligible for NHS continuing healthcare. This is free care provided in settings outside of hospital, including hospices and in the home.

Free care is also provided in some other circumstances. In others there may be grants available to help with the cost of care. Social services should be able to provide information on available grants and different forms of financial assistance where applicable. Alternative sources of funding include the Family Fund, Social Fund, Disabled Facilities Grant and the Access to Work scheme. Where disabled people and their carers may have to make a financial contribution towards their care, social services will carry out a financial assessment. Care finances can be managed in different ways, with self-directed support giving disabled people access to money that they can use to pay for services.

Carers Direct provide free information for carers and can be reached by either email or their telephone helpline on 0808 802 0202.