Financial assessments: what you need to know

Information for people receiving care and support services in their home or local community

This booklet will help you prepare for your financial assessment. It tells you why we carry out financial assessments, the questions we will ask and the documents and information you will need to provide as evidence.

Why do I need a financial assessment?

We carry out financial assessments to work out how much you may need to pay towards the cost of your care and support. We call this your contribution.

The amount of your contribution will depend on your financial circumstances and how much you can reasonably afford to pay. A member of the Financial Assessment Team will contact you to arrange your financial assessment.

We normally ask you to fill in an online form and provide the evidence and information we ask you for. Let the Financial Assessment Team know if you can't do this and you don't have anyone who can do it for you.

Please see the checklist of the evidence we may need to see.

The financial assessment should be simpler for you if you get the documents and information ready beforehand.

What we look at in your financial assessment

If you are receiving social care in your local community, we will look at the money you receive (your income) and any savings and assets you have (your capital). These are explained in ‘Your capital – savings and assets’. We will also look at what you spend, including housing costs (for example, council tax, rent or mortgage) and disability-related expenses.

For more detailed information about how we work out your contribution, please see our ‘Do I need to pay for social care in my home or local community?’ leaflet. Please visit our website at westsussex.gov.uk and search under ‘Adults’ social care publications’. Or you can contact our Adults’ CarePoint and ask for a copy.