Financial assessment

Everyone who is assessed for care and support services will be offered a financial assessment.

A financial assessment is used to work out how much individuals should be charged for care and support services the council provides.

If you prefer not to provide your financial information, you will be termed a self funder. You can find more advice and information in the self funders page in this section and on the Talk Community Directory self funders page.

What is a financial assessment?

A financial assessment (sometimes called a means-test) is used to work out how much you should pay towards your care. How we work out what you should pay will depend on whether you are getting care and support in a care home or your own home. Our Moving into a care home - How much will I have to pay? leaflet and Charging for care and support booklet will tell you more - the charging for care and support booklet is currently being updated and will be available soon.

After your social care worker has agreed with you how best to meet your needs, we will contact you to arrange an appointment with a financial assessment officer.

He or she will talk to you about your finances and work out what you will have to pay towards the cost of your care. This is also an opportunity to check you are getting all the benefits you are entitled to. If you wish to have a friend or relative present, please feel free to do so.

If your care assessment shows that you need help urgently, then this will be in place before your financial assessment is completed, but charges will apply from the date services are provided.

Current capital limit

If you have capital, sometimes known as savings, assets or investments, we may ignore some of its value when we work out how much income you get from it.

The current upper capital limit is £23,250. If you have capital at or above this amount you will not get any financial support towards your care costs.

If the value of your capital is above the lower capital limit of £14,250 and below £23,250, for every £250, or part of £250 over the lower limit, £1 will be taken into account as weekly income. This will be added to your normal income in order to work out how much you will be asked to pay.

If you have savings or investments worth less than the upper capital limit of £23,250 we will calculate how much you need to contribute towards your care, based on your savings, income and some of your expenditure, including disability related expenses.

What happens if you do not wish to tell us about your finances?

You can ask us to carry out a light touch financial assessment. This means we will treat you as if a financial assessment has been carried out in the following circumstances:

  • Where you have significant financial resources, and do not wish to undergo a full financial assessment for personal reasons, but you want access to council support in meeting your needs in your own home. In these situations we will accept other evidence in lieu of carrying out the financial assessment and treat you as having financial resources above the upper limit and you will be asked to pay the full cost of any service provided
  • Where we charge a small or nominal amount for a particular service which you are clearly able to meet, and carrying out a financial assessment would be disproportionate
  • Where a person is in receipt of benefits which demonstrates that they would not be able to contribute towards their care and support costs

Arrange a financial assessment

To arrange a financial assessment or review, please contact: