Care and support online financial assessment

Adult care and support services are not free.  Most people have to contribute towards the cost of their care, some will have to pay the full cost of their care dependent on their personal financial circumstances.

Wakefield Council may be able to assist with some or all of the cost, but the amount of financial support is 'means-tested'.  The Council's charging policy ensures that people only pay what they can afford.  If you are assessed as being able to make a contribution, you will pay the lower of your maximum assessed charge or the cost of your care.

If you meet the assessment criteria to receive adult care services, you can opt to pay for these services outright or complete a means tested financial assessment. You can self-serve via the link below.

How do I find out if I am eligible for financial help towards the cost of my care?

Once it has been confirmed that you meet the criteria for receiving social care support, the Council will need to conduct a full financial assessment to confirm how much you can afford to pay. If you are able to self-serve via the online financial assessment tool, you can get an indication of what you will need to pay towards the cost of care.  

How do I provide my financial details to the Personalisation and Assessment Team?

The Social Worker who completed your care assessment should have provided you with the relevant information relating to the type of service you are receiving and signposted you to this page.

You can now complete a financial self-assessment via the Council's partner BetterCare using the link on this page. BetterCare is a self-assessment online portal that allows you to input all your financial information (including partner details if needed) securely and calculate a provisional contribution towards care. You will also need to send relevant documents and evidence via the BetterCare portal before the assessment can be finalised.

The information you provide will then be checked and verified by the Personalisation & Assessment Team, and the weekly contribution will be confirmed in writing along with a breakdown of the calculation. Until this final stage is completed you should not rely on the provisional calculation provided via the BetterCare portal.

In certain circumstances the Personalisation & Assessment Team will make contact with you directly to complete the financial assessment via a different method. This would generally only be for individuals who do not have mental or physical capacity to self-serve via the BetterCare portal.

Will I always receive an indication of my care costs? 

There are videos and guidance text throughout the form to assist completion. If you need further help, please see the contact details below.

What evidence will I need to provide?

The information required for the financial assessment includes (but is not limited to):

• income (Private, Occupational and State Retirement pensions and Welfare Benefits)

• capital (Savings, Bank and Building Society accounts, Shares, Investments, and ISA's)

• property (Applicable for any Permanent Residential assessment and Non-Residential if you own an additional property you don't live in).

• property related expenditure (Rent, Mortgage Payments and Council Tax)

• statutory allowances as set by the Government.

• Notional Capital, Property, and Income (where you have given these away to avoid charges)