A guide to Adult Social Care - easy read leaflet


A guide to Adult Social Care - easy read

Easy read summary - 2025 to 2026

This leaflet will tell you about Adult Social Care and Health and the support we can offer.

This leaflet will tell you about Adult Social Care and Health and the support we can offer.

If you need support to understand this leaflet, you could ask

  • someone in your family or a friend

  • a support worker

  • a carer

or

  • phone us on 0345 60 80 191

If you need support to understand this leaflet, you could ask

  • someone in your family or a friend

  • a support worker

  • a carer

or

  • phone us on 0345 60 80 191

Who we are and what we do

Adult Social Care and Health is a part of East Sussex County Council. 

Adult Social Care and Health is a part of East Sussex County Council. 

We work with people aged 18 and over who live in East Sussex.

We work with people aged 18 and over who live in East Sussex.

We support people to live healthy and independent lives.

We support people to live healthy and independent lives.

Examples of people we support include:

  • People who want to stay living at home but are finding it difficult to manage

  • People who would like to get out and about but are not able to do so on their own

  • People who need information and advice about housing

  • People who care for somebody else.

Next page: Safeguarding

Examples of people we support include:

  • People who want to stay living at home but are finding it difficult to manage

  • People who would like to get out and about but are not able to do so on their own

  • People who need information and advice about housing

  • People who care for somebody else.

Next page: Safeguarding


Safeguarding

Safeguarding is how people can get help to live safely if:

  • they are experiencing harm or neglect

or

  • they are at risk of harm or neglect

Safeguarding is how people can get help to live safely if:

  • they are experiencing harm or neglect

or

  • they are at risk of harm or neglect

If you are being harmed or neglected or worry that you might be, contact Health and Social Care Connect (HSCC).

If you are being harmed or neglected or worry that you might be, contact Health and Social Care Connect (HSCC).

You can also contact HSCC if you are worried about someone else.

You can also contact HSCC if you are worried about someone else.

You do not have to give your name or your details when you contact HSCC.

You do not have to give your name or your details when you contact HSCC.


Can I get care and support from adult social care?

Anyone can contact us to ask us for support.

Anyone can contact us to ask us for support.

We offer support to people who have care and support needs.

We offer support to people who have care and support needs.

We can do a free Care Act needs assessment.

Your Care Act needs assessment will tell us about your care and support needs.

We can do a free Care Act needs assessment.

Your Care Act needs assessment will tell us about your care and support needs.

If your assessment shows that we can offer you care and support services, we can do a financial assessment with you.

Your financial assessment will tell you what you would need to pay for your care and support.

If your assessment shows that we can offer you care and support services, we can do a financial assessment with you.

Your financial assessment will tell you what you would need to pay for your care and support.

If we cannot offer you support, we will talk to you about what you could do next.

Next page: Some of the ways we can help you

If we cannot offer you support, we will talk to you about what you could do next.

Next page: Some of the ways we can help you


Some of the ways we can help you

You can talk to us about your needs and what you want to achieve.

You can talk to us about your needs and what you want to achieve.

We can tell you about all of the different options.

For example, we can talk to you about:

We can tell you about all of the different options.

For example, we can talk to you about:

  • support at home if you have been ill or in hospital
  • support at home if you have been ill or in hospital
  • support with personal care, like getting washed and dressed
  • support with personal care, like getting washed and dressed
  • making changes to your home to help you move around and keep safe
  • making changes to your home to help you move around and keep safe
  • equipment that can help you, like walking aids or personal alarms
  • equipment that can help you, like walking aids or personal alarms
  • ways to meet people in your local community, or people you know who might be able to support you
  • ways to meet people in your local community, or people you know who might be able to support you
  • finding the right support to suit your needs
  • finding the right support to suit your needs
  • how to find learning, work and social activities
  • how to find learning, work and social activities
  • how to access support with your money, debt or benefits
  • how to access support with your money, debt or benefits

These are just some examples of how we can support you.

How we can help depends on what sort of support you want and need.

Next page: What will I need to pay?

These are just some examples of how we can support you.

How we can help depends on what sort of support you want and need.

Next page: What will I need to pay?


What will I need to pay?

Information and advice about care and support services is always free.

You do not have to pay for information, leaflets or our advice.

Information and advice about care and support services is always free.

You do not have to pay for information, leaflets or our advice.

You can ask for a free Care Act needs assessment.

A Care Act needs assessment looks at how you manage everyday tasks to see if you can receive care and support from us.

You can ask for a free Care Act needs assessment.

A Care Act needs assessment looks at how you manage everyday tasks to see if you can receive care and support from us.

Social care and support is not free.

Most people who get support from us pay some money towards it.

Social care and support is not free.

Most people who get support from us pay some money towards it.

We work out how much you pay by doing a financial assessment.

A financial assessment is when work out how much you can afford to pay towards the cost of your care and support by looking at how much money you have.

We work out how much you pay by doing a financial assessment.

A financial assessment is when work out how much you can afford to pay towards the cost of your care and support by looking at how much money you have.

If you have more than £23,250 you will need to pay the full cost of your care and support.

If you have more than £23,250 you will need to pay the full cost of your care and support.

If you have less than £23,250 you may be able to get help from us to pay for some or all of your care and support.

Next page: Control over your care

If you have less than £23,250 you may be able to get help from us to pay for some or all of your care and support.

Next page: Control over your care


Control over your care

You will be involved at every stage of working out what care and support you can get.

You will be involved at every stage of working out what care and support you can get.

We will tell you what happens next and how long things should take.

We will tell you what happens next and how long things should take.

One of the ways you can have more control over your care and support is by choosing direct payments.

One of the ways you can have more control over your care and support is by choosing direct payments.

You can choose to have direct payments if we are going to pay some of the cost of your care.

You can choose to have direct payments if we are going to pay some of the cost of your care.

Direct payments are when we give you an agreed amount of money that you can use to organise and buy the care and support you need

Direct payments are when we give you an agreed amount of money that you can use to organise and buy the care and support you need

For example, you can employ your own personal assistant to help you with personal care and household tasks.

We can support you to do this safely.

Next page: Finding a place to live

For example, you can employ your own personal assistant to help you with personal care and household tasks.

We can support you to do this safely.

Next page: Finding a place to live


Finding a place to live

If you are finding it hard to manage at home, we can give you information about accommodation and support options.

If you are finding it hard to manage at home, we can give you information about accommodation and support options.

We can arrange for changes to be made to your own home.

We can arrange for changes to be made to your own home.

We can give you information and advice about the different housing options that you may be able to choose from, like:

  • Sheltered housing

  • Supported accommodation

  • Supported living

  • Extra care schemes

  • Care homes

We can give you information and advice about the different housing options that you may be able to choose from, like:

  • Sheltered housing

  • Supported accommodation

  • Supported living

  • Extra care schemes

  • Care homes

For more information, contact Health and Social Care Connect

Email HSCC@eastsussex.gov.uk

Phone 0345 60 80 191

For more information, contact Health and Social Care Connect

Email HSCC@eastsussex.gov.uk

Phone 0345 60 80 191

You can get more information about housing and support options in our easy read guide, finding a place to live

Next page: If you look after someone else

You can get more information about housing and support options in our easy read guide, finding a place to live

Next page: If you look after someone else


If you look after someone else

You are a carer if you look after someone who would not be able to manage daily life without help.

You are a carer if you look after someone who would not be able to manage daily life without help.

They could be an adult family member, a partner, a friend, a neighbour or somebody else.

They could be an adult family member, a partner, a friend, a neighbour or somebody else.

If you are a carer, you can ask for information, advice and support to help you.

If you are a carer, you can ask for information, advice and support to help you.

You can find out more about support for carers in our easy read leaflet for carers.

Next page: How to contact us and find out more

You can find out more about support for carers in our easy read leaflet for carers.

Next page: How to contact us and find out more


How to contact us and find out more

How to contact us

Email HSCC@eastsussex.gov.uk

Phone 0345 60 80 191

Minicom via type talk 18001 0345 60 80 191

Health and Social Care Connect is open from every day from 8am to 8pm.

Email HSCC@eastsussex.gov.uk

Phone 0345 60 80 191

Minicom via type talk 18001 0345 60 80 191

Health and Social Care Connect is open from every day from 8am to 8pm.

Information and advice

There is lots of information on our website

These webpages are not in easy read, so you may want to ask a supporter to look at them with you.

There is lots of information on our website

These webpages are not in easy read, so you may want to ask a supporter to look at them with you.

You can find our easy read webpages here.

You can find our easy read webpages here.

These easy read pages include information about

  • Your health and wellbeing

  • Money and benefits

  • Support services

  • Finding a place to live

  • Paid work and volunteering

  • Support for carers

These easy read pages include information about

  • Your health and wellbeing

  • Money and benefits

  • Support services

  • Finding a place to live

  • Paid work and volunteering

  • Support for carers

We have printed leaflets and factsheets about many different topics.

You can ask for any of these from Health and Social Care Connect (HSCC) in different languages, in easy read and in large print.

Email HSCC@eastsussex.gov.uk

Phone 0345 60 80 191

Typetalk 18001 0345 60 80 191

We have printed leaflets and factsheets about many different topics.

You can ask for any of these from Health and Social Care Connect (HSCC) in different languages, in easy read and in large print.

Email HSCC@eastsussex.gov.uk

Phone 0345 60 80 191

Typetalk 18001 0345 60 80 191

Other ways to find information

East Sussex Community Information Service (ESCIS)

Find community groups and activities in your area.

Website ESCIS

Phone 01273 481 754

Email ESCIS@eastsussex.gov.uk

East Sussex Community Information Service (ESCIS)

Find community groups and activities in your area.

Website ESCIS

Phone 01273 481 754

Email ESCIS@eastsussex.gov.uk

East Sussex 1Space

Information about care and support services in your area.

Website East Sussex 1Space

East Sussex 1Space

Information about care and support services in your area.

Website East Sussex 1Space

Living a healthy lifestyle

Making healthy changes to your lifestyle can make your life better.

To find out how to make changes, contact One You East Sussex

Website One You East Sussex 

Phone 01323 404600

Living a healthy lifestyle

Making healthy changes to your lifestyle can make your life better.

To find out how to make changes, contact One You East Sussex

Website One You East Sussex 

Phone 01323 404600

Give feedback on social care

You can tell us about your experience of adult social care.

See our Your feedback matters - easy read leaflet

You can tell us about your experience of adult social care.

See our Your feedback matters - easy read leaflet