If you live in Sandwell and are finding everyday life harder because of frailty, disability, sight or hearing loss, physical ill health, mental ill health or older age, Sandwell Council’s Adult Social Care service is the main local route into care and support. The borough uses the Adult Social Care contact centre, Sandwell Enquiry, as the front door for new concerns, referrals, information and formal assessments.
Who this page is for
This guide is for adults in Sandwell, family members, neighbours, friends and carers who need to know how to start the process. It is also useful if you are worried about someone who may be unsafe at home or no longer managing day-to-day tasks such as washing, dressing, preparing food, getting around the house, managing medication or leaving home safely.
What adult social care means in Sandwell
Sandwell uses the term care and support to describe the help some adults need to live as well as possible with illness, disability or frailty. That can include support at home, short-term help after illness, equipment and adaptations, day opportunities, support for carers, advice about moving to more supported accommodation, and referrals to community services that can help you stay independent.
How to ask for an assessment
Everyone is entitled to ask for a care and support assessment. The assessment itself is free. In Sandwell, the simplest way to start is to contact Sandwell Enquiry:
- Call 0121 569 2266
- Email sandwell_enquiry@sandwell.gov.uk
- Opening hours: 9am to 5.30pm Monday to Thursday and 9am to 5pm Friday
- Write to: Sandwell Enquiry, PO Box 15825, Oldbury, B69 9EL
- Emergency Duty Team outside office hours: 0121 569 2355
You can ask for help for yourself or on behalf of someone else. If someone else refers you, the council will usually check that you consent to the assessment.
What usually happens after first contact
Sandwell explains that some people only need information, advice or signposting. Others need a more detailed conversation. The first stage is often a phone discussion with the Adult Social Care Enquiry Team, but the council can also arrange a home visit where needed. During the assessment the worker will ask what you are struggling with, what matters to you, what support you already have, and what outcomes you want to achieve.
You can choose to have a friend, family member or advocate with you. If the council needs to speak to other professionals involved in your care, it should ask your permission first.
How long things usually take in Sandwell
Sandwell says it aims to:
- start assessments within two days
- finish assessments within 28 days
- have services in place within two months of first contact
- start an assessment and provide help within 48 hours in an emergency.
If you are eligible
If your needs meet the national eligibility rules, the council can move on to care planning. In practice, that means agreeing what support you need, what outcomes the plan should achieve, and how the support will be arranged. Community-based support may include a personal budget. Some people choose direct payments so they can arrange their own support; others ask the council to arrange services for them.
If you are not eligible
Sandwell still says it can help people who do not meet the threshold for funded care. The council may refer or signpost you to free or lower-level local support such as equipment and adaptations, telecare, welfare rights advice, services for people with sensory loss, community organisations and information services. The borough’s Information Point directory is the main place to browse local care, health, money, housing and community organisations yourself.
When to get urgent help
If someone is in immediate danger, badly hurt, extremely distressed or cannot be kept safe, call 999. If the issue is urgent but not a 999 emergency and the council office is closed, use the Emergency Duty Team on 0121 569 2355.
Useful Sandwell links
- Contact Adult Social Care
- Ask for a care and support assessment
- How to get an assessment
- What happens next?
- Can I have help from adult social care?
- How long does it take?
- Information Point directory
Last reviewed: 30 March 2026. Opening times, charges, referral routes, eligibility rules and commissioned services can change, so always use the linked Sandwell or NHS service before you travel, apply or rely on a phone number.
