Financial Assessments
A financial assessment is a means test to see how much you can afford to pay towards the cost of your care - if the amount of money you have is not enough, you may qualify for help towards some or all of the costs
Adult social care is not a free service like the NHS. While some types of care and support are free, many services are subject to a charge and this is based on what an individual can afford. Councils are required to carry out a financial assessment to work out what an individual can afford to pay for the care and support they receive.
When conducting a financial assessment, the Council follows the rules set by the Government as part of The Care Act 2014 and the associated
Care and Support Statutory Guidance.
If you have had an assessment of your care needs and it is identified that you need care and support (either in your own home or in a care home), the Social Work Team will refer you for a financial assessment. This assessment will be carried out by the Council’s Income & Assessment Team and it may be done in person or over the phone and you may be sent some forms to complete and return by post or email. As part of the financial assessment you will need to provide proof of your income and savings.
You can have someone help you complete the financial assessment (e.g. a family member, friend or advocate). If the person in need of care and support does not have the capacity to manage their own financial affairs, the financial assessment will need to be completed by someone who has a legal right to manage their money and act on their behalf.
Once the assessment has been completed, you will be notified in writing about how much you have to pay. A review would take place in the event of any change in circumstances.
If you do not wish to complete the financial assessment then you will have to pay the full cost of your care and support, regardless of your financial circumstances.
The law says that people who have care and support needs must not give away money or property in order to avoid paying for care. If there is evidence of such intentional deprivation of capital, the assets that have been disposed of will still be counted as part of the financial assessment.