Changes in care services in England – How does it impact on you and your family?

Care services in England are about to face their biggest change for over half a century.

The Care Act 2014 will change the care industry dramatically and provides rights for those receiving care and those who provide it to their family and loved ones.

The Care Act 2014  lays down standards for access to services from care homes as well as ensuring help in the home for tasks such as washing and dressing.
changes coming into force in England on Wednesday apply only to the care system for older people and younger adults with disabilities.

The Care Act 2014 introduces 4 substantial changes to care provision in England.

Four major changes are being introduced:

• The creation of national eligibility criteria establishing for the first time when someone should be entitled to help – to date, it has been up to councils to set their own criteria
• A duty on councils to offer schemes by which those who need to pay for residential care can get a loan from their local council, which is then paid back from their estate after death
• Giving carers for the first time the same right to assessment and support as the people they care for; before, they had to provide “substantial care on a regular basis” to get an assessment
• Those who pay for care themselves will be entitled to go to councils to get advice and information about the care system.

To help protect people’s assets, a cap on care costs they have to pay for – set at £72,000 for the over-65s – will kick in from April next year. How the cap works for younger people has still to be finalised.

For more information on the changes visit the BBC website.