What to expect whilst waiting for Adult Social Care 

This page provides information and advice on what to expect when contacting Cheshire East Council’s adult social care, including services that may support you while you wait. 

This information is useful if:

• you are waiting for a social care or carer’s assessment
• you are waiting for an Occupational Therapy (OT) assessment
• you are waiting for adult social care services to start after an assessment
• you are currently receiving care and support, and your needs have changed
• you have experienced a change in your physical or mental health and want to know where you can access local support

What to expect

1. Your journey begins when you contact Adult Social Care. Our Adult Social Care staff will provide you with information and advice

2. You might be offered help from community or voluntary services. If needed, we will offer you an assessment to understand your situation. You do have the right to request an assessment of your needs at any time.

3. We use national rules (Care Act 2014) to decide if your needs qualify for support. If you're eligible, we work with you to create a support plan tailored to your needs.

We prioritise assessments based on urgency and need. This is checked regularly. If your needs change and do become urgent, call 0300 123 5010

Advocacy 

During your assessment, you can have someone with you, like a carer or family member, to help share your needs. If they are unavailable or you would like us to arrange this for you, you can request an independent advocate from the charity Voiceability through your Social Worker. 

Staff Identification

During your assessment visit, Cheshire East staff will present their ID Badge, if you are concerned about the validity of the badge, please contact 0300 123 5500. 

Scam Awareness

If you need support or have concerns about being scammed, please contact Age Uk Cheshire.

Email: scams@ageukcheshire.org.uk
Telephone: 01625 612958

What information will adult social care want when I call them 

We will want to understand your current situation and what you think you need to be well and as independent as possible. We will work with you to understand what is important for you, your hopes and goals, and what help you would need to achieve those.

Here are some questions that might help you to prepare for your assessment. 

Preparing for an assessment 

For a needs assessment, we need to know about your typical day, you can get ready by thinking about:

• What health conditions do you have and how do they affect you?
• What can you do for yourself?
• Who gives you the support and friendship to help you do the things you want?
• How often do you need support?
• What would you like to be different or better?
• What is stopping you from getting there?
• What living arrangements would help you maximise your wellbeing  and independence? 

What do I do if my needs change while I am waiting

If there is a change in your social care needs, contact us and we can have another look at your assessment or arrange a review of the care and support you currently receive.

You can call 0300 123 5010

If you need to contact someone out of hours and you believe it to be an emergency that can't wait, please call our Emergency Duty Team on 0300 123 5022.   

What happens If I am admitted to hospital

If you are admitted to hospital while awaiting an assessment, it is essential that either you or your appointed representative formally request an Adult Needs Assessment prior to your discharge. Should you attend hospital without being admitted, you will continue to be subject to the standard waiting process as outlined in this information pack.

What to expect while waiting guide

You can download the below guide which outlines what to expect when contacting Cheshire East Council's adult social care, including services that may support you while you wait.

What to expect while waiting guide (PDF, 4MB)

What to expect while waiting - easy read version (PDF, 4MB)

Do I have to pay for care

It may be that you'll have to pay toward the cost of your care. Details can be found on our paying for care information page. If you are eligible for adult social care services, we will connect you with the Business Support and Finance Team who will complete your financial assessment. To help you prepare, they will need to see some documentation from you.

You will need to provide the Financial Co-ordinator with details of your income and outgoings and provide the following.

• your National Insurance Number
• details of your income e.g. Benefits letter, Bank Statements
• details of your outgoings e.g. Council Tax Bill, Rent Statement, and Utility Bills. A bank statement will be sufficient if you pay these by Direct Debit
• expenditure which is related to your disability e.g. Piper Alarm or Private Cleaner
• proof of savings in your name and joint names if this is applicable

Photocopies are acceptable and can be returned or emailed to the Financial Coordinator, when requested.

If you need support with preparing, please mention this to your Financial Coordinator.

Care Finder

If you pay for or organise your own care, Care Finder can help you to arrange care services online by completing simple questions about your requirements. Care services respond to you online, allowing you to compare and choose the support most suitable for your needs. 

Support for carers

If you are regularly helping to look after someone you can find information on your rights and support as a carer on our looking after someone information page. 

Research tells us that being a carer can be rewarding but can also be stressful. Carers often feel lonely and may worry about the financial aspects of organising care. 

Carer's Hub

The Cheshire East Carers’ Hub provides a single point of access for all carers and ensures that carers of all ages have access to information, advice and a wide range of support services. 

You may also be eligible for a Carers Assessment to determine your needs as a carer. Contact The Cheshire East Carers’ Hub for more information.

Keeping Well

Taking positive steps to look after your health and wellbeing while waiting can help to build on your strength. General information and advice on keeping well is available on NHS Live Well.