The services which we provide are specifically designed to help people with a disability, and others, to continue to live independently and safely in their own homes. It is only possible here to give a general outline of how we may be able to help. Staff in our Local Offices will be able to give more detailed information, and advice.

Help may be provided with:

  • Washing and dressing, according to need
  • Transferring from bed to chair, or commode, using equipment where needed
  • Eating and drinking, including delivery of meals if appropriate
  • Using incontinence aids and dealing with soiled clothing
  • Supervision only of taking of medication
  • Maintaining basic hygiene in rooms used

Who can have this service?

Services are for people:

  • Living in Waltham Forest
  • Of any age, needing help with personal care tasks (e.g. washing, dressing, toileting)
  • With physical disabilities (e.g. needing help to get in and out bed or a chair, or go to the toilet)
  • Who are vulnerable, because of confusion, learning difficulties and mental health problems, or drugs and alcohol abuse, and who also need help with personal care
  • Who have loss of sight or hearing
  • With HIV/AIDS

And for

  • Carers of people who meet any of these criteria

Will I have to pay towards this service?

We do charge for this service. See Community Care Charges. This gives full details of how much you have to pay. The leaflet is updated each year. If you are assessed to pay something towards the cost of your services you will be given a copy of the latest leaflet.

How much you may pay depends on:

  • The cost of the services you receive
  • Our assessment of your weekly income

The more services you receive and the higher your income the more you will pay. If you are on a low income then you will not have to pay anything at all. The charges leaflet will tell you what your weekly income has to be before you start paying anything.

Who provides this service?

After an assessment of your needs has been done, you will be told whether or not you are eligible to receive a service.

If you are eligible to receive a service, we explain what this will be and who the provider (the person who supplies the service to you) will be.

The provider will be a different person from the one who did the assessment of your needs. They will get in touch with you to agree about how the service is delivered.

Sometimes the provider will be Waltham Forest Social Services, and the staff Council employees; this is often called the in-house service.

Other services are provided by external contractors, who may either be commercial organisations, or agencies, or voluntary organisations. These organisations employ their own staff, and you should talk to them about any of the arrangements affecting your services. They will tell you how you can get in touch with them.

Please remember that help is not available with the following: nursing care, routine housework or spring cleaning, jobs outside the home.

How to get this service

To find out more about care at home and to see whether you may be able to get some help then contact one of local Social Services Offices.

Your needs will be looked at by a trained member of our Social Services staff. These staff may be:

  • Information officers
  • Home care assessors
  • Care managers
  • Social workers

We also need to know what you can do for yourself and what you need help with. Also, who helps at present, and what they do. From this information we assess if your needs meet the dependency level for a Home Assessment. If you meet the dependency levels for Home Assessments, then your details and the information you have given will be passed to the Home Care Assessor.

Alternative providers of care

Please remember, we do not provide services just because of age or for people who only need help with practical tasks. If you are not eligible for a service we can help you with advice and information on where to go to get help. This includes providing a list of home care agencies. Please click here for more information.

Contact us

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