A plain-English guide to how social care works in England — what it is, who provides it, and how to access it.A plain-English guide to how social care works in England — what it is, who provides it, and how to access it.A plain-English guide to how social care works in England — what it is, who provides it, and how to access it.
Select a topic below to find out what social care involves and how it works.
Social care refers to a wide range of support services that help people live their daily lives. It is different from healthcare (such as seeing a doctor or staying in hospital) — social care focuses on practical, personal and social support.
It can include help with washing and dressing, preparing meals, getting out of the house, managing medication, and much more. Social care can be provided at home, in a day centre, or in a residential or nursing home.
Social care is for adults and children who need support due to age, disability, illness, or other circumstances. You do not have to be elderly to need social care — it is available to anyone whose ability to manage day-to-day life is affected.
Common groups who use social care include:
Social care is provided by a mix of organisations:
All care services in England must be registered with and inspected by the Care Quality Commission (CQC).
NHS care is free at the point of use and covers medical treatment — GP appointments, hospital stays, surgery, district nursing visits, and so on.
Social care is means-tested and helps with personal and practical support. If you need help getting dressed but are otherwise well, that is social care — not NHS care.
The boundary between the two can sometimes be blurry. If your care needs are primarily driven by a health condition, you may be eligible for NHS Continuing Healthcare (CHC) — a package of care fully funded by the NHS. Ask your GP or hospital team about this if you think it may apply.
Find out how to get a care needs assessment and what happens next.
The first step is to contact your local council's adult social care team and ask for a care needs assessment. You have a legal right to one under the Care Act 2014, regardless of your financial situation or how complex your needs are.
The assessment looks at what you can and cannot do, and what support would help you live your daily life. It considers your physical, mental, emotional and social needs.
In the North East, you can contact your local council directly. Newcastle, Gateshead, Sunderland, Durham, Northumberland, South Tyneside, North Tyneside and Middlesbrough all have adult social care teams. See our Local Contacts page for direct numbers.
After your needs assessment, the council will decide whether your needs meet the eligibility threshold. If they do, a financial assessment (means test) will follow to determine how much — if anything — you will need to contribute to the cost of your care.
If you are eligible for council-funded care, a care and support plan will be drawn up with you, setting out what support you will receive and how it will be provided. You will also be given a personal budget — the amount the council will spend on your care — and can choose how that is managed.
If your needs do not meet the council's eligibility threshold, or if your savings and assets are above the means-test threshold (currently £23,250), you will be expected to arrange and fund your own care — known as being a self-funder.
Even if you do not qualify for funded care, the council must still give you information and advice about what care is available locally. You also retain the right to ask the council to arrange care on your behalf, even if you pay for it yourself.
Tip: If you are self-funding, it is still worth contacting your local council — they can provide a list of regulated local providers and may be able to arrange care at a lower negotiated rate than you could access independently.
Yes. You can contact care providers directly and arrange care without going through the council at any time. This is common for people who are self-funding or who need care quickly.
If you arrange care privately, make sure you choose a provider that is registered with and rated by the CQC. You can search for CQC-rated providers in your area at cqc.org.uk.
Our Finding Care Providers page lists regulated services across the North East to help you get started.
Understand the financial side of care — means testing, costs and what help is available.
The financial assessment looks at your savings, income and assets to work out how much you can afford to contribute. The current thresholds in England are:
Your home is usually not counted in the means test if a spouse, partner, or dependent relative still lives there.
Several benefits can help cover the cost of care, whether or not you qualify for council funding:
If you move into a care home and your only significant asset is your home, you may be able to arrange a Deferred Payment Agreement (DPA) with your local council. This means the council pays your care costs and is repaid — with interest — when your home is eventually sold.
A DPA prevents you from having to sell your home urgently to pay for care. You have the right to request one from your local council if you meet the eligibility criteria.