Social Care - What to do when someone dies

This section offers practical advice about what to do when someone known to social services or their carer dies. It explains how to stop social services provision or how to find out if the bereaved person is eligible for social services support.

For any additional help and support at this difficult time, please contact Customer Care on 01495 762200 or email social services

What to do when a carer dies

A carer is someone who provides unpaid care for a friend, relative or loved one because they are ill, older or disabled.

When a carer dies, the person they care for may need additional support from social services. Sometimes, the person may not be known to social services at all and so a referral must first be made.

If the cared for person is known to social services, please contact Torfaen Customer Care and let someone know that the carer has died.

An advisor will pass this information to the person’s social worker or social work team. Alternatively, if you know the name and telephone number of the social worker, you can call him/her yourself.

The social worker will then arrange a review of the care package that the person is receiving.

If the cared for person is not known to social services, you will need to make a referral, again by contacting Customer Care.

A referral is the word we use to describe the initial contact with someone who is not known to social services but who may need our help and assistance.

When a referral is made, we will arrange for the person‘s needs to be assessed to see if they are eligible for specific services.

Services may include personal care, day activities, meals on wheels, respite care and occupational therapy equipment, although this depends on individual circumstances.

Torfaen Social Care and Housing Services charges for personal care and day care services; these charges are based on the service user’s ability to pay (for more information about charging, read our leaflet Paying for Domiciliary and Day Care Services).

What to do when a service user dies

Please contact our Customer Care team on 01495 762200 when you feel able to do so.

An advisor will take some details from you and will inform the appropriate departments on your behalf. If the deceased person uses social services, the advisor will ask you for additional information:

• The name of the social worker or social work team if known e.g. personal care team, care management team
• Details of any packages of care that were being received, such as meals on wheels, day activities, personal care
• Whether any specialist equipment e.g. a wheelchair or hoist, needs to be returned (alternatively, you can arrange this yourself by phoning 01633 648741 or 01633 648484)

Short courses are available to carers when the person they care for dies. For more information please contact Torfaen Carers’ Centre on 01495 753838.

Last Modified: 25/06/2019 Back to top