Requesting a Financial Assessment
Amendment
In July 2024, text amendments were made to reflect changes made to the Financial Assessment Procedure.
For further information, see: Charging & Financial Assessment Procedure.
If the following criteria apply and you have not already done so, a financial assessment should be requested:
- The person has needs that are eligible under the Care Act (or urgent needs that the Local Authority intends to meet);
- The person wishes for the Local Authority to meet some or all of those needs;
- The person is ordinarily resident in the Local Authority area (or present in the area with no settled residence);
- The person will be receiving a service that is chargeable under the Care Act; and
- The Local Authority intends to charge for that service.
It is not lawful under the Care Act to charge for any of the following services:
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- Intermediate care and reablement services (enablement) for up to 6 weeks;
- Aids and minor adaptations (up to the value of £1000);
- After-care services/support provided under section 117 of the Mental Health Act 1983.
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.
All financial assessments or reassessments should be requested in line with local processes and requirements.
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.
Kent County Council do not financially assess carers, so no financial assessment should be requested for services provided directly to a carer.
Note: If the likely outcome of the Support Planning process is that a service will be provided directly to the cared for person in order to benefit the carer you should request a financial assessment of the cared for person's finances (or reassessment of financial contribution if the person has already had a financial assessment for services provided under a Care and Support Plan).
If the person has eligible needs under the HGCRA and a major adaptation is to be carried out it is the responsibility of the Housing Authority to carry out any financial means test for the purpose of determining any contribution that the person must make to the cost of the adaptation.
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.
Last Updated: July 25, 2024
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