Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps he is taking to ensure disabled people can access support services during the covid-19 outbreak without proving their disability.

Under the Care Act 2014 an individual who appears to have care and support needs is entitled to ask their local authority for a needs assessment to establish whether they are eligible for care and support. If the individual’s needs meet the criteria set out in the eligibility regulations, the local authority has a duty to meet those needs, subject to a financial assessment.

The Care Act Statutory Guidance states that “the local authority should base their judgment on the assessment of the adult and a formal diagnosis of the condition should not be required.”