Assessment, Eligibility and Financial Contributions
We assess a person's needs to decide if we can offer care and support. We have to give priority to people who are at most risk.
We use eligibility criteria. These let us work out how serious the risk is of you losing your independence if your needs are not met.
We will discuss what support you need if your safety and independence are at high risk. For example, you may be unable to carry out essential personal care tasks, such as bathing and dressing.
Where the risk is lower, we will give you information and advice. This will be the case if you are having some difficulties but can manage most aspects of daily living.
We may need to meet with you to discuss your needs.
How to request as assessment
When someone contacts us to ask social care support we call this a referral.
Anyone can contact us to make a referral - you can do this yourself or, if you prefer, a relative, carer, friend, GP or other professional can make contact on your behalf. At the initial point of contact we will begin your assessment - this is where we start to gather information about you. This will help us to understand what your needs are and establish your eligibility for support.
It may be that we will need to arrange a visit to gather more information, in some cases more than one visit will be needed. If you wish you can have someone present with you during the assessment visit. As your care needs, outcomes and eligibility are identified, we will discuss the full choice of options that are available to you about how to best meet those care needs and outcomes.
These could include:
- Being healthy safe and well
- Exercising choice and control
- Personal dignity and respect
- Making a positive contribution to family and community life
Anyone in West Lothian whose needs are assessed as critical or substantial will be eligible for access to paid services and support.
If, after assessment, your needs are within the moderate or low category and do not meet our criteria for access to paid services or support, you will be provided with information and advice on other possible sources of help.
West Lothian Council's Eligibility Criteria
The Eligibility criteria applies to:
- Anyone requesting an assessment for the first time
- Anyone who is currently receiving social care services or support at the point of review
The Social Work (Scotland) Act 1968 requires the Council to ensure resources are available to meet assessed eligible needs to a standard which will satisfy the Council that the person's eligible needs are being met.
Our duty is to promote social welfare and make available advice, guidance or assistance as appropriate and adequate. To do this we will work in partnership with eligible individuals and their families / carers to assess needs.
The Council has a duty to assess any adult (person over 18 years of age) who they believe may need community care services. The assessment of needs is used to determine whether a social care service is required to be put in place to meet those needs in line with eligibility for services.
The Council applies the National Standard Eligibility Criteria consistently across both adults and older people services. Eligibility criteria assist the Council to achieve fairness, consistency and transparency in how decisions are taken.
Details of the Council's policy on eligibility and how to request an assessment can be found below:
- A Guide to Adult Social Care (PDF) [275KB] (opens new window)
- Eligibility Policy (PDF) [248KB] (opens new window)
- Eligibility Policy FAQ's (PDF) [80KB] (opens new window)
- Adult non-residential eligibility criteria visual aid (PDF) [476KB] (opens new window)
Contributing towards the cost of your care
If you are assessed as eligible for care you may be required to pay something towards that care. Anyone who receives a "chargeable service" will be assessed to determine how much they can afford to pay towards the cost of those services they receive; this is called a financial assessment. This financial assessment will be carried out along with a social care assessment.
The contributions policy explains how the council will work out how much you should pay towards the cost of any assessed eligible care and support services.
An individual's ability to contribute to the cost of eligible care and support will take account of following income, based on a weekly amount:
- Net earnings
- Benefits / Tax Credits
- Pension Income
- Other income, including income from a non-dependant living at home
- Contributions Policy 2023-24 (PDF) [319KB] (opens new window)
- Reconsideration and Review Process 2019 (Reviewed-Version) (PDF) [209KB] (opens new window)
- Contributions Policy -Integrated Impact Assessment (IIA) 2020 (PDF) [320KB] (opens new window)
Financial Help
The Advice shop can help you review your financial situation and help identify any benefits you may be entitled to and support you around other things such as:
- Benefit checks
- Budgeting
- Help to fill in claim forms
- Assistance to appeal unfair decisions and representation at your Tribunal
If you have any enquiries relating to the financial assessment ie income, disregards etc
Email enquiries to: nrccontributions@westlothian.gov.uk or call 01506 280000 (option 2)
If you have an invoice related question
If you have an invoice related question call our Contact Centre 01506 280000 and the staff handling your call will redirect you to the payment team.
If you have any questions or enquiries relating to non- residential care payments or referral, please contact our Adult Social Care Enquiry Team (ASCET):
Via email: adultsocialcare@westlothian.gov.uk
or telephone 01506 284848