How to arrange home care in Hull and East Yorkshire: a step-by-step guide

If you, or someone you care about, is starting to struggle at home, it can be hard to know where to begin. This guide walks through how home care is arranged and paid for in Hull and the East Riding, and the questions worth asking along the way.

This is general information, not financial or legal advice. Rules and thresholds change, so always check the latest position with your council or an independent adviser such as Age UK or Citizens Advice.

Step 1: Ask for a free needs assessment

Under the Care Act 2014, anyone who appears to need care and support has the right to a free needs assessment from their local council, whatever their income or savings. Which council you contact depends on where the person lives:

• Hull City Council for addresses within the city of Kingston upon Hull (hull.gov.uk)
• East Riding of Yorkshire Council for towns and villages such as Beverley, Cottingham, Hessle, Bridlington, Driffield and Goole (eastriding.gov.uk)

You can ask for an assessment for yourself, or on behalf of someone else with their agreement. The assessment looks at what the person can and cannot do, what matters to them, and what outcomes they want to achieve.

Step 2: Find out if needs are eligible

Councils use national eligibility criteria to decide whether someone's needs qualify for council support. If they do, the council must make sure those needs are met. If they do not, the council should still give information and advice about other help available.

Step 3: The financial assessment

If needs are eligible, the council will carry out a financial assessment (a means test) to work out how much, if anything, the person should contribute. For care at home, the value of the home you live in is not counted. There are capital thresholds above which people usually pay for their own care. In England the upper limit has been £23,250 for some years, but check the current figure with your council.

Step 4: Decide how care is arranged

If the council is funding some or all of the care, you will be given a personal budget. You can then usually choose between:

• Council-arranged care, where the council arranges care with a provider on your behalf
• A direct payment, where the money is paid to you so you can choose and pay your own provider, giving you more control over who visits and when

If you are paying for your own care (self-funding), you can approach providers directly. You can still ask the council for a needs assessment to help understand what support would be right.

Other funding worth checking

• Attendance Allowance is a non-means-tested benefit for people over State Pension age who need help with personal care. People under State Pension age may be able to claim Personal Independence Payment (PIP) instead.
• NHS Continuing Healthcare is fully funded by the NHS for people whose needs are primarily health needs. Ask the GP or hospital team about an assessment if needs are complex.
• Carer's assessment: if you look after someone, you are entitled to an assessment of your own needs from the council, which may lead to support such as breaks.

Step 5: Choosing a home care provider

Any provider delivering personal care must be registered with the Care Quality Commission (CQC). Check their registration and latest inspection report on the CQC website, then ask:

• How do you plan visits, and will we see the same carers?
• How long are visits, and how do you handle late or missed calls?
• How do you involve family in care planning and reviews?
• What training do your carers have, including dementia training?
• How do I raise a concern, and who do I speak to out of hours?
• What are your charges, and what notice is needed to change or cancel?

Talk to us

Waymark is completing its CQC registration to provide home care across Hull and East Yorkshire. If you are planning ahead, request a quote or call us on 01482 935215. We are happy to talk through your options, with no obligation.