You will need a financial assessment to see if you can get help to pay for your care and support. Find out how to get one and what to expect.
How to get a financial assessment
Financial assessments are free and usually happen in your home.
- You must have a
needs assessment that shows you need care. This is usually done by a social worker.
- The social worker can refer you for a financial assessment. Your care will start when you need it, even if you have not had a financial assessment yet.
- The social worker will ask the financial assessment team to carry out an assessment.
- The financial assessment team will write to you to ask for proof of your finances.
We will review your financial assessment yearly. This will take into account any changes to the money we can ignore and any increases in benefits you claim. We will write to you with any changes.
If something changes you must report it straight away, because it may change how much help you get to pay for your care.
Tell us about changes to your needs or finances.
What you'll need
We will ask you for proof of all your income, savings and investments. This could include:
- recent benefit award letters from the DWP (Department for Work and Pensions) or recent bank statements showing that you get benefit payments
- letters from your pension or annuity providers, including any pension drawdown arrangements you have made
- a complete set of the last 12 months of bank or building society statements or pass books, for every account you hold
- details of any shares, bonds, ISAs and national savings products
- details of any land or property you own that is not your main home
- details of any other income and investments
- the last four weeks of bills for any goods or services that you must buy because of a disability or frailty
You cannot get help to pay if you do not give us all the financial information we ask for.
When we do financial assessments we must follow rules set out by the government in the
Care Act 2014.
Someone to help
You can ask someone to help you at your financial assessment or have them manage it for you.
Help from a relative, friend or solicitor
Help communicating (from an advocate)
You may also be able to get your own independent advocate to help you communicate with the financial assessment team and make sure your views and rights are represented. Find out
what an advocate is and how they help.
If you cannot make decisions (lack mental capacity)
If a person has lost
mental capacityExternal link we cannot do a financial assessment for them unless there is someone who has the legal right to manage their money and represent them.
Find out
how to represent someone.
If nobody can represent them
If they do not have someone to represent them, as a last resort we (the council) can apply for the legal right to manage how they pay for care. Or, if they have a lot of assets, we can ask a solicitor if they will manage their finances.
Financial advice
We recommend you get financial advice to manage your money and pay for your care. We are not allowed to give financial advice ourselves, but there are independent organisations you can go to. Some are free and some cost money.
Appeal a decision
If you disagree with our decision on your financial assessment, you can ask for a reconsideration. Find out
how to appeal.
