The Care Act in Gateshead

In April 2015, care and support in England was changed for the better. The Care Act made care and support more consistent across the country.

The act brings together over 60 years of care and support legislation into a single Act. It sets out new duties and responsibilities for the Council with the aim to promote the wellbeing of adults and carers, and help them to maintain their independence and be able to take control of their own care and support.

What does this mean for people in Gateshead?

• You will be fully involved in the assessment of your needs; if you have difficulty doing this and have no family member or friend to help you, we will provide someone 'an advocate' to help you.
• If you care for someone, you can have your needs assessed, along with the person you care for to see if there are ways your needs can be met. 
• If you need to use the value of your home to help pay for your care in a residential or nursing care home, you can be assessed to see if you are entitled to receive a 'deferred payment agreement'. This means you can delay repaying us until you choose to sell your home, or until after your death.
• There will be more information and advice available to you on this website to help you make decisions on the care and support that is right for you and to help you plan for the future.

You can find out more about Care and Support on the Government's website: https://www.gov.uk/careandsupport (opens new window)