9.1 When the council has decided to charge for the services included in a person’s care and support plan, the council will carry out a financial assessment.
9.2 The financial assessment is a means-test to establish how much a person should pay towards their care and support services.
9.3 Some people may only need a light touch financial assessment (see section 11).
9.4 We will actively support everyone to be involved in their financial assessment. We will make reasonable adjustments in line with our duties under the Equalities Act 2010 and the Accessible Information Standards to overcome barriers to involvement.
Please see also our: Adult Social Care Accessible Information Policy and Independent advocacy in Adult Social Care Policy
9.5 The type of support service(s) a person is receiving determines the type of calculation used in the financial assessment.
9.6 The financial assessment will be carried out in accordance with the detailed Care and Support statutory guidance (Annex B, C, E and F). The guidance sets out how capital and income should be treated, including when someone deprives themselves of assets to reduce care costs, and how income and capital is treated differently when a person has a short stay in a care home. For further detailed information about capital limits and tariff income, please read appendix 2.
Consent to the financial assessment
9.7 When the council has agreed to meet some / all of an adult’s needs by providing a chargeable service, we will seek their consent to have a financial assessment. Consent can be provided through a written or digital consent form.
9.8 The council will assume a person has the requisite mental capacity to undertake the financial assessment, unless there are reasonable doubts, in which case a capacity assessment will be undertaken, or a relevant mental capacity assessment has already been completed (see section 13).
9.9 Once consent is provided, the council’s Financial Assessment and Benefits (FAB) Team will carry out a full financial assessment.
9.10 Adults with the requisite mental capacity to do so:
- may nominate someone else (for example a family member or friend) to support them in respect of the financial assessment and
- may withdraw this consent at any time by writing to the FAB Team
9.11 When a person has capacity and nominates someone to support them, the person with care and support needs remains responsible for ensuring the client contribution is paid.
9.12 People who lack mental capacity to give consent to a financial assessment and who do not have anyone with legal authority to be involved in their affairs may require the appointment of a Property and Affairs deputy by the Court of Protection.
9.13 When an adult lacks capacity to consent to a financial assessment or review, the Financial Assessment and Benefits Team will:
- seek the consent of their legally appointed financial representative (i.e. a deputy appointed by the Court of Protection or someone who holds a registered power of attorney given by the adult before they lost capacity) or
- delay the financial assessment until a deputy is appointed by the Court of Protection
