Paying for Care

You can now complete your financial assessment online.

About the online calculator

The easy-to-use online calculator will tell you how much you might contribute towards your care.

All you need to do is enter details of your benefits, pensions, earnings, savings, assets and some essential costs.

The calculator will then tell you what your estimated weekly contribution may be. It uses exactly the same details and calculation steps that Local Authorities use to calculate the contribution.

How accurate is it?

The more detail you fill in, the more accurate your calculation will be. The calculator can estimate the maximum you may be asked to contribute each week.

What will happen next?

You will be able to submit your financial information to our Finance Team automatically, from the calculator. Before you submit your information, you will have the option to download or print a copy of what you have input into the calculator. If further information is needed our Finance Team will contact you.

We will review your submission and write to you to confirm your actual weekly contribution.

Before you start

You will need your Adult Social Care Reference Number which can be found on your financial assessment declaration. In addition to this you will need information about your income, expenditure and savings. You will find it useful to gather together some documents giving details of:

• Your income, for example, state or occupational pension, Disability Benefits, Universal Credit or any other benefits.
• Any earnings.
• Details of any savings, investments, or other capital (including anything held jointly).
• Details of household costs, such as council tax, service charge, rent or mortgage.
• Details of any expenditure related to disability.

You will have the option to upload any supporting information before you submit your data.

Once you have your documents together please visit southend.mycostofcare.com to complete the online calculator.

The financial assessment explained

If you are receiving care and support at home or are going into residential care, this leaflet explains the financial assessment process.

How does paying for care work?

You will first need to receive a Care Act Assessment in order to arrange social care through your local authority.
After you have had a Care Act Assessment, and you have agreed your care and support plan, there will be a Financial Assessment. This is where our Finance Team will ask you about your finances and income to calculate how much you will contribute to your care.

What does the financial assessment involve?

A Financial Assessment is when our Finance Team looks at your income, savings and outgoings to calculate how much you need to contribute towards the cost of your care and support.

If you need care in order to stay in your own home, the Financial Assessment will not include the value of your property.

If you need to move permanently into a care home, the assessment may include the value of your property.

How will my income be treated in the financial assessment?

Certain types of income, such as the mobility component of your benefits, may not be counted in the Financial Assessment. All other incomes can be taken into account.

Make sure you get all of your benefits and entitlements as the Financial Assessment will assume that you are receiving all the benefits you are entitled to, even if you are not already claiming them.

If you and someone else jointly hold capital, such as a savings account, it will usually be divided equally between the account holders.

How much will I have to pay?

After the Financial Assessment our Finance Team will provide you with a written record of the outcome, including what you will have to pay and how this has been calculated.

How much you will have to pay will depend on:

• What type of care and support you need
• Your own personal circumstances

How can I get an estimate for my contribution?

You can calculate your estimated contribution amount by using the Online Calculator. Guidance for using the Online Calculator can be found on the back of this leaflet.

Finance Team Contact Details

Telephone: 01702 215008 Option 2

Email: socialcarefinanceassess@southend.gov.uk