ContrOCC Online Financial Assessments (OFA) is a website aimed at potential users of social care services. Users are able to fill in their own financial details to determine if they would be charged for residential or non-residential services and what their contribution would be.
Designed to be easy and accessible for service users or their representatives, the OFA gives a quick answer to those who don’t currently qualify for financial support and provides a clear picture to those who do.
Optionally, users can submit the completed details directly to ContrOCC for review by an assessment officer and conversion to a full assessment when care is later commissioned.
Easy to use
The website is designed to be easy for members of the public to use. Financial details are entered from one main screen, providing a clear overall picture. Users only need to enter the details that they know. Users are also not required to enter any benefits or age-related allowance figures as the tool calculates them automatically based on circumstances.
The OFA is fully integrated with ContrOCC. It uses ContrOCC assessment details and rules, as configured by the council, to reflect both national guidelines and local assessment policy.
The OFA includes an option to allow users to submit their completed self-assessment to the council, and to attach evidence (such as bank statements). The assessment and any evidence will be uploaded to ContrOCC, where a financial assessment officer can review it and decide the next step.
The next step might be a home visit by a financial assessment officer using the ContrOCC Remote Financial Assessments app. The user’s self-assessment can be converted to a full assessment and used as the basis for this visit. Any further details can be added and evidence uploaded during the visit.
But for many users no physical second assessment is required, and this tool creates a significant cost saving for the local authority. It also allows service users to take more control of their own finances in a transparent and open manner.