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<p>Local authorities are responsible for assessing individuals’ care and support needs
and, where eligible, for meeting those needs. Where individuals do not meet the eligibility
threshold, they can get support from their local authorities in making their own arrangements
for care services, as set out in the Care Act 2014.</p><p> </p><p>Eligible needs are
those which relate to, for example, maintaining personal hygiene and nutrition, and
maintaining and developing relationships, and which significantly impact on the adult’s
wellbeing. Full details of the eligibility requirements can be found in The Care and
Support (Eligibility Criteria) Regulations 2014.</p><p> </p><p>We do not currently
hold data on how many applications for social care have been assessed for need. Through
a new data collection, Client Level Data, we are beginning to collect event-level
information from local authorities on adult social care activity. This will include
records of assessment of eligible needs and the funding status of local authority-commissioned
services.</p><p> </p><p>To assess means, local authorities must follow The Care and
Support (Charging and Assessment of Resources) Regulations 2014 and have regard to
the Care and Support Statutory (CASS) guidance. The responsibility for interpreting
and applying the Regulations and the CASS guidance rests with local authorities.</p><p>
</p><p>Whether or not a person qualifies for any financial support towards their care
costs depends on their capital assets as follows: anyone who has above the upper capital
limit of £23,250 is expected to meet the full cost of their care; anyone who has below
the lower capital limit of £14,250 pays what they can afford from income only; and
anyone between the above two limits pays what they can afford from income plus a contribution
from their assets.</p><p> </p><p>A means-tested contribution from assets is determined
by tariff income, which assumes that a person can afford to pay £1 per week for every
£250 of assets between the limits. In 2021/22 there were almost 1,978,550 requests
for support from new clients received by local authorities. Data on the funding of
means testing done in the past 10 years is not held centrally.</p>
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