Waiting for a carer's assessment? What the latest council figures show
ADASS figures show 8,693 people waiting for a carer's assessment in England on 31 March 2026. What an assessment is, who can ask, and how to prepare.
A carer's assessment is a conversation with your council about what you need to keep caring and to look after yourself. More people are asking for one, and more are waiting.
What the figures show
The Association of Directors of Adult Social Services (ADASS) published its Spring Survey on 15 July 2026, with answers from 89% of councils with adult social care duties in England (ADASS, 15 July 2026). It reports that:
- 8,693 people were waiting for a carer's assessment on 31 March 2026, including young carers and parent carers, compared with 7,656 a year before. ADASS says a new method means the two years are not directly comparable.
- 825 of them had been waiting for half a year or more, compared with 685 a year before.
- 73% of directors saw a rise in the number of unpaid carers needing support during 2025/26.
- Only an estimated 5% to 10% of unpaid carers get any support at all from their council.
- 39% of councils had a growing investment in carers in 2025/26, and 35% plan to spend more in 2026/27.
Your right to ask
In England, the Care Act 2014 gives anyone who looks after an adult and appears to need support the right to a carer's assessment (Care Act 2014, section 10). You don't need to live with the person, and there is no minimum number of hours.
What this means for you
- Contact the adult social care team at the council where the person you look after lives. Many councils let you ask online.
- Ask how long the wait is, and what help is available in the meantime, such as a local carers' centre.
- Prepare a typical week: what you do, when, and what is hardest. Include nights and the jobs you do from a distance.
- Think about what would help, such as breaks, equipment, help with paperwork or a plan for what happens if you can't be there.
- Ask for the outcome in writing.
- If the wait seems unreasonable, use the council's complaints process. If that doesn't resolve it, you can go to the Local Government and Social Care Ombudsman.
Guidance only. Your council makes the decision about support.
We're building Coming Home: Family Care, a UK iPhone app to keep the care plan, the letters and who's doing what in one place. Join the waitlist.
Original source: ADASS Spring Survey 2026, 15 July 2026