Commentary on Sections Section 29 – Combining needs assessments and other assessments
96.Section 29 provides that where someone appears to need support as a carer and also appears to have needs for care and support in their own right, a local authority can combine those assessments.
97.A local authority may carry out a person’s needs assessment at the same time as it or another body carries out another statutory assessment in relation to that person.
98.In such cases, the local authority may carry out the other statutory assessment on behalf of, or jointly with, the other body. If the other body has already arranged for the other assessment to be carried out jointly with a third party, the local authority may carry out the other assessment jointly with the other body and the third party.
99.This provision is designed to allow local authorities to carry out multiple assessments at the same time so that individuals do not need to undergo a series of separate assessments.