Carer's assessment

Am I a carer?

You are an unpaid carer if you have someone who relies on you to stay safe and well. The person you care for can be any age, and you don’t need to live with them. They could be a family member, friend or neighbour. They may need support due to having a disability, mental or physical illness, an addiction, or other additional needs. Anyone of any age can be a carer

What advice and support can I get?

You may face new challenges daily as a carer, but you don’t need to do this alone. 

Carers Oxfordshire is a free service that offers information, advice and support to adult carers of someone living in Oxfordshire. Carers Oxfordshire helps by providing specialist support which is tailored to what you need as a carer.

• Carers website – great place to start. Has lots of information and advice for unpaid carers
• CarersLine – 01235 424715 or email the team on carersinfo@carersoxfordshire.org.uk
• Support groups – find carer groups in Oxfordshire
• Time for you – a range of offers to give unpaid carers time for themselves
• Carer ID – get proof that you are a carer
• Carer’s assessment – Carers Oxfordshire can help you complete an assessment – see more information below

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 can I 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. 

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 can contribute to the discussion about 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

• we do not charge for an assessment
• we do not charge for the services we provide to carers
• depending on their financial circumstances, we may charge for services we provide to the person you care for
• we do not charge for services for children under 18

Finding someone to speak for you

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