If you have an illness or a disability, you may need help to continue living at home. For example, you may need someone to come in and help with personal things like washing, dressing, shopping, cooking. Or you might need equipment to help with mobility or daily living tasks

These services can be provided by your local council:

• Social services in England and Wales

• The social work department in Scotland

• The Health and Social Care Trusts in Northern Ireland.

You might have to pay for community care services. This depends on arrangements in your local area as well as your income and savings.

If your local council is paying for the services, you can choose to get money directly from your local authority to choose and buy the services you need yourself through what is known as direct payments. Otherwise your local authority will pay the care worker directly.

The first step is to have your needs assessed by these services through a Health and Social Care Assessment (also sometimes called a 'community care assessment' or an 'assessment of need'). You can find Getting a needs assessment information on NHS website. 

Once you have been assessed, depending on your care needs, they will draw up a care plan outlining what help you should have and how this can be given. Services may be provided by social services, voluntary organisations and/or private companies.

Contact your local council for more information.

If you have been in hospital, you should not be discharged until you have had an assessment of your continuing health care needs and, where necessary, of your community care needs.

See also the Turn2us Hospital and benefits information

Age UK information about help at home

Independent Age information on support and care

Independent Age: Health and care assessments guide

Scope information on social care services

Disability Rights UK - Personal Budgets: The right social care support

Reviewed: April 2023