The Care Act

1 care ActThe care ActEasyRead versionWhat is in this bookletThe 2014 care Act1 What is care and Support?3 What this booklet is about5 NEW LAWThe rules and guidance9 NEW LAWC hanging to the new law37 What the words mean39 care Act1 care ActThe 2014 care ActThis booklet is an easyread paper abouttheCare is written by the Government. When wesay we in this booklet, we mean words are written inbold. There isa list of what the words mean at the care Act is a new law about care andupport for adults in LAWWe have lots of different laws on care andsupport.

2 This makes it difficult to knowwhat care and support you could care Act will bring them together tomake just one new law LAWT here will be clear and simple rules andguidance about the law. They will say: what people should be able to get what councils will have to LAWNEW LAWG uidance is information to tell councilshow to use the care Act is care and Support? care and support means lots of differentthings for different depends on what you need but caninclude things like: help to get out of bed, get dressed orwashed help with eating or cooking meals help with seeing friends and family help with caring for and support comes from lots ofdifferent people.

3 Family, friends, people inthe Government help to pay for some careand support, depending on how muchmoney you care Act is mainly about people whoare 18 and over and need care this booklet is aboutNEW LAWA pril 2015 From April 2015 local councils will have todo what the care Act LAWT here are rules andguidance to: tell councils how to do this properly NEW LAWhelp people who get care and supportand their families understand the newlaw NEW LAWhelp voluntary groups and otherorganisations understand the new law6 NEW LAW?

4 Help courts decide if a council kept tothe law or LAWThis booklet is about these rules are a lot of details in this you need to know more about anythingplease look for it in the contents page atthe front of the full version of LAWThe rules and guidanceIn this part of the booklet we talk aboutthe rules andguidance for each part ofthe the community1. Well-beingLocal councils must have services to meetdifferent people s must always think about guidance says: whatwell-being means how to give people the care andsupport to make their lives Stopping problems before they startLocal councils must think about servicesthat stop problems before they start, orstop them from getting worse as early guidance says.

5 Whatprevention means councils must have these services foreveryone, not just people who use careand support services how to find out who needs theseservices what happens if you have to pay forthese Information and adviceLocal councils must have goodinformation to help people choose theright care and guidance says: councils must give information andadvice to everyone who wants it, notjust people who have their care andsupport paid for by the council which people might need informationand advice what councils can tell people aboutpaying for care how to plan to give local people thetype of information they Having all the services people needLocal councils must make sure there arelots of different care and support servicesin their guidance says.

6 Councils must plan services thinkingaboutwell-being and what isimportant to people who use them councils must think about serviceshaving the right staff and enoughmoney to give good support councils must work with people whouse services and other organisations toplan the right services11 PLAN councils must understand what youneed and have plans about servicesthat give good are rules about: PLAN councils having plans about what to doif a service has to stop giving care the care and supportpeople need1.

7 Finding out what needs you haveWhen you first get in touch with thecouncil, they check to see what you is called an law says all carers can have anassessment too, even if the council thinksthey or the person they care for can payfor their guidance says: what different assessments are for what training people need to doassessments. how to involve people and theirfamilies and do good assessments how to work out what your needs Deciding if you need a serviceWe will have the same rules about whocan get care and support all over guidance says.

8 Who can get care and support,wherever you live how to decide if carers can get aservice how to tell you if you can get a serviceor not how to complain if you are not happywith what the council when you or your carers can get careand Independent advocacyCouncils must involve you inassessmentsand in planning and checking your careand you find it very difficult to be involvedand there is no-one else to speak for you,they must find you an guidance says: what councils need to think aboutwhen they decide if you need anadvocate who independent advocates are andwhat they do15 who can be an independent advocateand how they work deciding if you need an independentadvocate when you must have an independentadvocate.

9 Even if there is someonewho can speak for for your care and supportYou will have to pay for most sorts of careand support if you have enough council will check to see how muchmoney you have and ask you to pay whatyou can guidance says: how councils must decide what youpay towards your care and support your right to choose a care home if youneed one and to sometimes paytowards this if it costs more than thecouncil want to pay how councils can get money thatpeople owe them. the most a council can charge you how councils work out what moneyyou care and supportPerson-centred care is when peopleunderstand what is important to you andgive you the right care and support to dothe things you care and support plansYour care and support plan says howpeople will support you to do the thingsthat are important to council must involve you in writingand checking your guidance says.

10 How to involve people and write goodplans18 how to plan with people who find ithard to make decisions for themselves PLANPLANPLANPLANhow to bring different plans togetherinto one person-centred Personal budgetsA personal budget is the money used tobuy your helps you know how much differentservices cost and choose how the moneyis guidance says: how councils should work out yourpersonal budget about personal budgets for carers what happens if you are not happywith what the council Direct paymentsYou can choose to take some (or all) ofyour personal budget as a direct means you, or someone else, is giventhe money to spend on care and supportyou guidance says: how councils should give people adirect payment how people can use the money how to stop direct payments.