Paying for your care and support
Eligibility for financial support
Depending on your total assets and savings, you could receive financial support from the council toward the cost of your care.
There are two ways to complete an online financial assessment in Southwark. The Southwark Online Financial Assessment Form is the easiest and quickest way to complete your financial assessment.
- The financial assessment process
- information to see if you can get financial assistance for social care
- Online Financial Assessment Form
- this easy-to-use, online assessment form allows you to submit a financial assessment to the council; you will also get an indication of how much you might be asked to contribute toward your care
The financial assessment process
Most Southwark residents will need to pay something towards the cost of their care and support. Find out if you're eligible for assistance and how you can get assessed.
Content
Completing a financial assessment
Chargeable Support and Care Services
Social care, unlike health care, is not free for everyone and most people will be asked to pay something towards the cost of their care and support.
Most adult social care services are subject to contributions. These include:
- placements in care homes and support living accommodation
- housework and shopping
- personal care in the home
- support workers
- carers breaks and respite care
- transport
- day centres
The exception to this is services the council provides free of charge if you've been assessed as needing them. These services aren't means-tested and it doesn't matter what your income is. These include:
- small bits of equipment or home adaptations such as handrails for the stairs and a walking frame · benefits including Attendance Allowance and Personal Independence Payment (PIP)
- free care and support at home for up to 6 weeks after a stay in hospital (reablement)
To check whether you will be eligible for financial support from the council, you will need to complete a financial assessment.
We calculate the amount you need to pay toward your care, based on the total cost of the services you receive at home or in a placement.
The assessment determines how much, if anything, you will have to contribute toward the cost of your care.
You’ll pay for some or all your care if you:
- don’t come under the council’s eligibility criteria for support but you want to arrange some care privately
- don’t want to tell the council about your finances
- have savings or other assets worth more than £23,250
- have savings or other assets worth between £14,250 and £23,250
If you have questions about the process, contact us at 0800 358 0228 or email ChargingTeam.AdultSocialCare@southwark.gov.uk
Independent advice
If you'd like independent advice, contact one of the nationally recognised organisations below:
Age UK
- phone: 0800 678 1602
- visit the Age UK website
Housing Care
- phone: 020 7820 1682
- visit the Housing Care website
Citizens Advice Southwark
- phone: 080 8278 7849
- visit the Citizens Advice Southwark website
Money Helper
- phone: 0800 138 7777
- visit the Money Helper website
Society of Later Life Advisers
- phone: 0333 2020 454
- visit the Society of Later Life Advisers website
Completing a financial assessment
There are two ways to complete a financial assessment.
The quickest way is to use our online financial assessment form. This easy-to-use, online assessment form allows you to submit a financial assessment to the council. You will also get an indication of how much you might be asked to contribute toward your care.
The second way is to fill out either the residential or non-residential assessment forms attached below:
- Residential Financial Assessment form (PDF, 549kb)
- Non-Residential Financial Assessment form (PDF, 1021kb)
If you're using the pdf forms rather than the online financial assessment portal to submit your application, you may need to provide details such as your income and outgoings. You do not have to give this information if you opt to pay for your care, but you'll be required to state this on the form, sign and email it to ChargingTeam.AdultSocialCare@southwark.gov.uk
Upon receipt of the completed form, the council will work out how much you can afford to contribute based on:
- how much it costs to provide care and support to meet your needs
- your personal expenses allowance (or minimum income guaranteed if you receive non-residential care services); this allowance is set by the government and reflects how much money you should be left with every week
Page last updated: 27 June 2023
