Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps his Department is taking to ensure that people without a family to support them are supported otherwise.

Those in need of care without a family to support them may be eligible for support as set out in the Care Act 2014. The Care Act 2014 requires that where an adult or carer appears to have care and support needs the local authority must carry out an assessment. It must then decide if the person has eligible needs by considering the outcomes the person wants to achieve, what needs they have, and how these impact on their wellbeing.

Where a person is assessed as having eligible care and support needs, these must be met by their local authority.

Once an eligibility determination has been made the local authority should then carry out a financial assessment to determine whether or not the person should pay anything towards their care.

For those who do not meet the eligibility criteria, local authorities should signpost people to relevant services.