Requesting a Financial Assessment

1. Using this Procedure

This procedure should be used to understand when a financial assessment must be completed, how to subsequently make such a request and record the outcome.

For further information see: Financial Assessment.

Note: This procedure is used by all of the following teams and services:

  • Community Led Support;
  • Learning Disability;
  • Mental Health;
  • Community Response Hub; and
  • Reablement (ongoing needs only).

2. When a financial assessment must be completed

Under the Care Act a financial assessment must be completed when all of the following criteria apply:

  1. The person/carer has needs that are eligible under the Care Act (or urgent needs that the Local Authority intends to meet);
  2. The person/carer wishes for the Local Authority to meet some or all of those needs;
  3. The person/carer is ordinarily resident in the Local Authority area (or present in the area with no settled residence);
  4. The person/carer will be receiving a service that is chargeable under the Care Act; and
  5. The Local Authority intends to charge for that service.
Need to know

It is not lawful under the Care Act to charge for any of the following services:

  1. Intermediate care and reablement services for up to 6 weeks;
  2. Aids and minor adaptations (up to the value of £1000);
  3. After-care services/support provided under section 117 of the Mental Health Act 1983;
  4. Any service provided to a person with Creutzfeldt-Jacobs Disease;
  5. Assessment, Care and Support Planning/Support Planning, Review or advocacy.

For all other services the Local Authority has the power to charge but there is no duty to, meaning that decisions can be made to waiver a charge or not charge in specific circumstances.

In exercising this power, Swindon Borough Council have decided not to charge for carers services, respite, pre-assessment, crisis support or any equipment.

The Local Authority Charging Policy sets out how it exercises its power to charge for all other services. It is important that you understand this policy, as this will explain the circumstances when charges will not be made, or when decisions may be made to waiver a charge.

3. Requesting a financial assessment

All financial assessments or reassessments should be requested in line with local processes and requirements.

Remember, a financial assessment should not be requested for carers services, respite, pre-assessment, crisis support or any equipment.

Need to know

A financial assessment should only be carried out for the individual who is receiving the chargeable service. This means that where a carer is being supported through the provision of a service to the person, for example respite, it is the person that should be financially assessed, not the carer.

4. Recording the outcome of the financial assessment

Following a financial assessment any financial contribution payable should be recorded on the Care and Support Plan (or, if applicable, the carer’s Support Plan).

Where there is no financial contribution payable, this should be recorded as zero.

The start date for any financial contributions should correspond with the start date for the associated Care and Support services unless a decision has been made otherwise through the financial assessment process.