Benefits, care costs and social care and support

When you are 18 years old, if you are not in full time education or get benefits, you will have to pay for some health care.

This includes eye checks, dental and prescription medicines.

Please go to the following link for more information: www.nhsbsa.nhs.uk/check-if-youre-eligible-help/aged-19-and-under

There are different arrangements for children’s continuing care, for people aged under 18, and Continuing Healthcare when a person is 18 years and over.

Children or young people (up to the 18^th birthday) who are eligible for Children's Continuing Care, may become eligible for Continuing Healthcare when they become an adult, at 18.  

If a young person is eligible for children’s Continuing Care, they will be added to the Transition caseload from 17years old.  They will be assessed either by a children’s assessor, an adult assessor or jointly by both assessors around 3 months before their 18th Birthday.

This provides time to decide for a decision to be made if they are eligible for Continuing Healthcare and for any care planning needed before the young person turns 18 years old.

If a young person has not had an assessment before or has not been assessed as eligible for Children’s Continuing Care, a checklist can be completed from 17 and a half years old to see if they may be eligible for adult Continuing Healthcare.

This should make sure that a full assessment (if required), decision on eligibility and care planning can be in place before their 18th birthday.

If a young person is eligible for Children’s Continuing Care, your Continuing Care Assessor or Case Manager should be able to give you more information or answer any questions you have.

If you are aware of a young person who has not been assessed as eligible for Children’s Continuing Care but may be eligible as an adult, you can discuss this with the young person’s social worker or one of the health professionals involved in their care.

 

Definitions:

Children and Young People’s Continuing Care

A continuing care package will be required when a child or young person has needs arising from disability, accident or illness that cannot be met by existing universal or specialist services alone.

• Children and young people’s continuing care national framework - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk)

 

NHS Continuing Healthcare

NHS Continuing Healthcare (CHC) means a package of ongoing care that is arranged and funded solely by the National Health Service (NHS) where the individual has been assessed and found to have a ‘primary health need’ as set out in this National Framework. Such care is provided to an individual aged 18 or over, to meet health and associated social care needs that have arisen as a result of disability, accident or illness. The actual services provided as part of the package should be seen in the wider context of best practice and service development for each client group.

• National framework for NHS continuing healthcare and NHS-funded nursing care - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk)

The local City and County council offer services to help you if you need practical, daily support because of illness or disability.

You might be able to get help if you care for someone receiving social care and support.

Social care and support are usually paid for by people who need services and their families or by the local council's social services department.

Types of social care and support include:

• help at home from a paid carer
• meals at home
• having your home adapted (i.e. accessibility)
• equipment and household gadgets to help you be independent.
• personal alarms and home security systems so you can call for help (for instance, if you have a fall)
• different types of housing, such as sheltered housing and care homes

For more information:

• Nottingham County - www.nottinghamshire.gov.uk/care/childrens-social-care
• Nottingham City - www.nottinghamcity.gov.uk/information-for-residents/children-and-families

A person's health can be affected by lots of things that are not caused by a physical health problem for example money problems or feeling worried. Sometimes people can get help other than medications and treatment through the GP surgery, this is called social prescribing.

Social prescribing is about what will work for that person, and it maybe you are given advice or signposted to other services that can help.

Ask at your GP Surgery for more information.