Financial assessments

As well as your contact information, we need the details of anyone who is involved in your financial decisions, such as:

• your power of attorney
• deputy or financial representative

You must also provide us with any of the following documents that apply to you:

• power of attorney documentation
• appointee forms
• court of protection order

You must tell us about all pension-related income, however not everything will be taken into account when we calculate your contribution.

Examples of what we take into account include:

• state pension
• occupational pension or private pension
• guarantee credit (pension credit)

We do not take the following into account (but you must still tell us if you receive it):

• savings credit (pension credit)

You must provide us with any of the following documents that apply to you:

• latest benefit entitlement or award letter from the Department for Work and Pensions for the current financial year (April to March)
• verification of a private pension
• paperwork relating to a deferred pension or annuity

You must tell us about all of the benefits or allowances you receive, however we will only take some of them into account when we calculate your contribution.

Some examples of what we take into account:

• universal credit
• income support
• employment and support allowance (ESA)
• armed forces independence payment
• attendance allowance
• personal independence payment (PIP) daily living component
• disability living allowance (DLA) care component
• industrial injuries disablement allowance.

We do not take these benefits and allowances into account (but you must still tell us if you receive them):

• working tax credit
• disability living allowance (DLA) mobility component
• personal independence payment (PIP) mobility component
• child benefit
• child tax credits
• guarantee income payments from the armed forces compensation scheme.

Extra benefits and allowances

Some benefits, such as attendance allowance, are there to help you pay for care and support. Please make sure that you apply for every benefit or allowance that you think you qualify. 

If you are unsure, please ask for help during your financial assessment appointment. We can advise what you may qualify for and support you to apply.

We will still include the money you could claim for in your financial assessment - even if you have not claimed for it.

Outstanding benefit claims

If you are waiting for a decision to be made about a benefit that you have applied for, please contact us as soon as you know the outcome. This will help us to confirm you are paying the correct contribution towards your care.

You must tell us about any other income you receive, however not everything will be taken into account when we calculate your contribution.

Examples of what we take into account include:

• rental income from property or land
• student finance
• any other income you receive

We do not take the following into account (but you must still tell us about it):

• earnings from a job

We need to know about any savings and capital you have.

This means:

• cash
• money in a bank or building society
• shares

You must provide us with all of the following documents that apply to you:

• bank account statements
• savings account statements
• bond certificates
• life assurance bond certificates that show whose lives are assured - plus any income you have received to date
• share certificates
• national savings certificates
• investment or trust documents

We need to know about your share of expenses relating to:

• council tax
• rent
• mortgage
• utility bills
• insurance

You must provide us with all of the following documents that apply to you:

• housing benefit or council tax award letter
• paperwork showing how much you pay for rent, service charges, mortgage and council tax
• rental agreement or housing association breakdown showing other costs included in your rent and service charges
• last 4 utility bills showing your annual heating and power costs
• water, sewerage, buildings and contents insurance bills (proof of Direct Debit payments will be accepted)

The home you live in

We need to know if you own the property that you live in as your main or only home. However, the value of this property is not considered if we expect you to return to your home.

Other properties or land you have a beneficial interest in

If you have a beneficial interest in any other property or land - meaning you are entitled to a share in the proceeds from its sale - this is considered as an investment. The value of your share in that property or land will be included in your financial assessment and contribute to your financial assets total.

You must provide us with all of the following documents that apply to you for extra properties or land that you have a beneficial interest in:

• latest mortgage statement
• equity release documents
• proof of joint ownership
• proof of any property previously owned in the last 2 years

We need to know about any expenses that you pay as a result of your disability or impairment, which could be considered as part of your community care financial assessment. This is known as disability related expenditure (DRE).

We will allow for reasonable DREs unless these are already funded, or should be funded, by your care and support plan or another government organisation, such as the NHS.

Disability related expenditure includes:

• above average heating costs
• high laundry costs
• high costs of bedding or clothing
• domestic cleaning and/or gardening
• above average water costs
• ongoing costs related to equipment, such as wheelchairs, hoists and stair lifts
• prescription charges up to the yearly prescription payment certificate level 

Anything you pay for by choice, and not through necessity, cannot be classed as a disability related expense.