What are the changes to the Care Act?
The Care Act established the legal framework for the reforms. Regulations made under the Act will come into effect in April 2020 to implement the funding reforms outlined in this factsheet. From April 2020,there will be a cap limiting the amount people will have to pay for their care and support. The level of the cap will be set out in regulations.
What does the Care Act mean for local authorities?
The Act gives local authorities a responsibility to assess a carer’s needs for support, where the carer appears to have such needs. This replaces the existing law, which says that the carer must be providing ‘a substantial amount of care on a regular basis’ in order to qualify for an assessment.
What are the regulations for assessment under the Care Act?
The regulations which support the Act ensure that the assessment is appropriate and proportionate, so that people have as much contact with the authority as they need. In addition, they require the authority to consider the wider needs of the family of the person (for instance, if there is a young carer).