NHS Carers Direct
Themes: Advocacy, Care and Carers, Domestic Abuse, Learning Disabilities, Mental Health, Physical Disabilities, Public Sector Services, Sexual Abuse
Aimed at: All People
Social care and support guide
If you or someone you know needs help with day-to-day living because of illness or disability, this website explains your options and where you can get support.
Introduction to care and support
A quick guide for people who have care and support needs and their carers.
Help from social services and charities
Includes helplines, needs assessments, advocacy and reporting abuse.
Care services, equipment and care homes
Includes home adaptations, help at home from a paid carer, staying safe and housing.
Money, work and benefits
How to pay for care and support, and where you can get help with costs.
Care after a hospital stay
Includes hospital discharge and care and support afterwards.
Support and benefits for carers
Includes carer's assessments, support from local councils, respite care and help for young carers.
Practical tips if you care for someone
Includes advice on challenging behaviour, moving and lifting people and medicines.
Caring for children and young people
Services, support and tips if you care for someone under 21, and moving to adult social services.
Making decisions for someone else
Includes powers of attorney and mental capacity.
Introduction to care and support
This guide is for people who have care and support needs, their carers, and people who are planning their future care needs.
What is social care and support?
They're services to help you if you:
need practical support because of illness or disability
care for someone receiving social care and support
Social care and support is usually paid for by:
people who need services and their families
by the local council's social services department
Types of social care and support include:
help at home from a paid carer
meals on wheels
having home adaptations
household gadgets and equipment
personal alarms and home security systems so you can call for help (for instance, if you have a fall)
different types of housing, such as supported living services and care homes
Find out about different care services, equipment and care homes.
Telephone help
If you want advice or help by speaking to someone over the phone, you'll find lots of helpful numbers and links in our section on telephone helplines and forums.
Getting access to social care and support
You can arrange care and support privately yourself.
If you want the council to arrange or pay towards your care, you have to get a needs assessment.
The needs assessment tells you what type of care will help you and how it'll be delivered to you.
If you have a carer, they can also have a carer's assessment.
Paying for social care and support
Paying for care and support can be confusing and a worry.
For clear advice on how much care and support costs, and where you can get help with the costs, read our section on money, work and benefits.
As a general rule, if you have less than £23,250 in savings and investments, your care will be paid for partly or in full by the council. This does not include the value of your property unless you're moving into a care home. Read more about when the council might pay for your care.
If you have more than £23,250 in savings, you'll be expected to pay for your own care.
Some services are free for everybody. They're not means-tested. Read about care and support you can get for free.
Help for carers
If you're a carer, you can find information about support and benefits for carers and caring for children and young people.
You probably are a carer if you're looking after someone regularly (including your spouse or a family member) because they're ill or disabled.
Popular topics include:
Benefits for carers
Practical tips if you care for someone
Carers' breaks and respite care
Help for young carers
NHS care
In some situations, social care and support is provided by the NHS instead of your local council. In these instances it's free. It's not means-tested.
It includes:
up to 6 weeks of care after illness or hospital discharge, known as reablement (this service can also be provided by local councils)
care if you have complex and serious health conditions (NHS continuing healthcare)
Social care and support guide
Help from social services and charities
Care services, equipment and care homes
Money, work and benefits
Care after a hospital stay
Support and benefits for carers
Practical tips if you care for someone
Caring for children and young people
Making decisions for someone else
If you or someone you know needs help with day-to-day living because of illness or disability, this website explains your options and where you can get support.
Introduction to care and support
A quick guide for people who have care and support needs and their carers.
Help from social services and charities
Includes helplines, needs assessments, advocacy and reporting abuse.
Care services, equipment and care homes
Includes home adaptations, help at home from a paid carer, staying safe and housing.
Money, work and benefits
How to pay for care and support, and where you can get help with costs.
Care after a hospital stay
Includes hospital discharge and care and support afterwards.
Support and benefits for carers
Includes carer's assessments, support from local councils, respite care and help for young carers.
Practical tips if you care for someone
Includes advice on challenging behaviour, moving and lifting people and medicines.
Caring for children and young people
Services, support and tips if you care for someone under 21, and moving to adult social services.
Making decisions for someone else
Includes powers of attorney and mental capacity.
Introduction to care and support
This guide is for people who have care and support needs, their carers, and people who are planning their future care needs.
What is social care and support?
They're services to help you if you:
need practical support because of illness or disability
care for someone receiving social care and support
Social care and support is usually paid for by:
people who need services and their families
by the local council's social services department
Types of social care and support include:
help at home from a paid carer
meals on wheels
having home adaptations
household gadgets and equipment
personal alarms and home security systems so you can call for help (for instance, if you have a fall)
different types of housing, such as supported living services and care homes
Find out about different care services, equipment and care homes.
Telephone help
If you want advice or help by speaking to someone over the phone, you'll find lots of helpful numbers and links in our section on telephone helplines and forums.
Getting access to social care and support
You can arrange care and support privately yourself.
If you want the council to arrange or pay towards your care, you have to get a needs assessment.
The needs assessment tells you what type of care will help you and how it'll be delivered to you.
If you have a carer, they can also have a carer's assessment.
Paying for social care and support
Paying for care and support can be confusing and a worry.
For clear advice on how much care and support costs, and where you can get help with the costs, read our section on money, work and benefits.
As a general rule, if you have less than £23,250 in savings and investments, your care will be paid for partly or in full by the council. This does not include the value of your property unless you're moving into a care home. Read more about when the council might pay for your care.
If you have more than £23,250 in savings, you'll be expected to pay for your own care.
Some services are free for everybody. They're not means-tested. Read about care and support you can get for free.
Help for carers
If you're a carer, you can find information about support and benefits for carers and caring for children and young people.
You probably are a carer if you're looking after someone regularly (including your spouse or a family member) because they're ill or disabled.
Popular topics include:
Benefits for carers
Practical tips if you care for someone
Carers' breaks and respite care
Help for young carers
NHS care
In some situations, social care and support is provided by the NHS instead of your local council. In these instances it's free. It's not means-tested.
It includes:
up to 6 weeks of care after illness or hospital discharge, known as reablement (this service can also be provided by local councils)
care if you have complex and serious health conditions (NHS continuing healthcare)
Social care and support guide
Help from social services and charities
Care services, equipment and care homes
Money, work and benefits
Care after a hospital stay
Support and benefits for carers
Practical tips if you care for someone
Caring for children and young people
Making decisions for someone else
Area: Bassetlaw, Bolsover
Contact Details
0300 123 1053
https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/social-care-and-support-guide/