Many of us will need care and support at some point in our lives, and most people will pay at least something toward the cost of their care. This is why it is important that you know about new legal changes which affect the provision of care and support in England.
From April 2015, the Care Act has changed the way care and support is accessed, assessed and funded. It makes it clear for people to know what their care and support options are, and what the Trust, on behalf of local councils, needs to do.
It replaced the various complex systems currently used to assess the care needs of an individual with a simpler, single method that is the same wherever you live in England.
The main areas of change were:
- Local authorities, and those who provide their services, have a general responsibility to promote people’s well-being, focusing on prevention and providing information and advice
- A consistent, national eligibility criteria has been introduced
- New rights to support carers, so they have the same rights as the people for whom they care
- A legal right to a personal budget and direct payment
- New responsibilities around transition, provider failure, supporting people who move between local authority areas and safeguarding
More details are currently available on the Staffordshire Cares website here.