Nellie Supports services
Our services
Independent social work assessment, evidence and advocacy across England and Wales. Every service is delivered by a permanent, employed multidisciplinary team, with a fee stated before instruction and every report peer reviewed before it leaves us.
Mental capacity, NHS Continuing Healthcare, Lasting Power of Attorney, Court of Protection evidence, social care and SEND support from one employed team.
At a glance
Service lines
Mental capacity, NHS Continuing Healthcare, Lasting Power of Attorney, Court of Protection and expert evidence, social care, EHCP and SEND
Who instructs us
Families, deputies and attorneys, solicitors, local authorities and the courts
Format
Face to face or remote, depending on the service
Fees
Fixed fees stated before instruction, plus VAT, published on our prices page
Coverage
England and Wales
11,000+
Assessments completed
England and Wales
National coverage
Peer reviewed
Every report
Full-time employed
Multidisciplinary team
Plain-English overview
What Nellie Supports does
Nellie Supports is a specialist private social work practice. We assess mental capacity, prepare evidence for the Court of Protection and other courts, support families and professionals through NHS Continuing Healthcare, act as certificate providers and assessors for Lasting Powers of Attorney, and provide independent social care assessment and SEND advocacy. Each service line has its own hub with the individual services, fees and process. This page is the map.
Nellie Supports is a specialist private social work practice. We assess mental capacity, prepare evidence for the Court of Protection and other courts, support families and professionals through NHS Continuing Healthcare, act as certificate providers and assessors for Lasting Powers of Attorney, and provide independent social care assessment and SEND advocacy.
Each service line has its own hub with the individual services, fees and process. This page is the map: find the service line that matches your question, then go to the service itself.
An unwise decision is not the same as lacking capacity
Section 1(4) of the Mental Capacity Act 2005 is the principle that runs through everything we do. A person is not to be treated as unable to make a decision merely because they make one that others think unwise. Our assessors do not judge whether a choice is sensible, and our advocates do not decide what a family should want. The question is always whether the person can make the decision, and whether the process around them has given them a fair chance to make it.
Mental Capacity Assessments
26 services
Decision-specific capacity assessments under the Mental Capacity Act 2005, from managing finances and making a will to Court of Protection COP3 evidence. Standard and enhanced levels.
All mental capacity assessments
The full list of decision-specific assessments, grouped by the type of decision, with fees and the assessment process.
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Capacity to manage finances
Independent, decision-specific assessment of capacity to manage money, property and financial affairs.
From £600 plus VAT
COP3 mental capacity assessment
Court of Protection COP3 evidence for deputyship applications.
From £600 plus VAT
Testamentary capacity assessment
For making or amending a will, applying the Banks v Goodfellow test.
From £600 plus VAT
Enhanced mental capacity assessment
A deeper, multi-layered assessment for complex, high-value or contested cases.
£3,500 plus VAT
Statutory will assessment package
Court-ready evidence package for a Court of Protection statutory will application.
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Capacity to litigate assessment
For conducting legal proceedings, including the Certificate as to Capacity to Conduct Proceedings.
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Capacity to instruct a solicitor
For giving valid instructions to a solicitor on a specific legal matter, not conducting proceedings.
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Capacity to enter into a contract
For entering into a specific contract or agreement, such as a settlement, loan, guarantee or tenancy.
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Capacity to buy, sell or transfer property
For a specific property decision, such as selling a home, buying, transferring or gifting.
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Capacity for equity release
For a specific equity release or lifetime mortgage decision secured against property.
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Capacity to sever a joint tenancy
For changing property ownership from joint tenants to tenants in common.
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PA14 probate capacity assessment
For an executor or applicant who may lack capacity to deal with a grant and administer an estate.
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Capacity to decide where to live
For a decision about where a person should live, such as home with care or a care home.
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Capacity to decide about care and support
For a decision about the care, support or supervision a person receives.
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Deputyship discharge capacity assessment
For someone who may have regained capacity, where a deputyship may be discharged, reviewed or varied.
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Capacity to Sign a Prenuptial Agreement
For entering a prenuptial agreement, including what it means for both parties.
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Capacity to Divorce
For the decision to end a marriage or civil partnership, distinct from conducting the proceedings.
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Capacity to Act as a Trustee
For continuing to act as a trustee, assessed against the duties the role requires.
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Capacity for Contact
For decisions about contact with a specific person, often where safeguarding concerns exist.
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Capacity to Marry
For the decision to marry or enter a civil partnership, including what marriage means.
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Capacity to Retire as a Trustee
For the decision to step down from a trusteeship, including signing a deed of retirement.
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Capacity for Health and Welfare Decisions
For decisions about health, treatment and personal welfare, assessed decision by decision.
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Capacity to Make Lifetime Gifts
For a specific gift or transfer, such as money, property or other substantial lifetime giving.
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Capacity to Consent to Sexual Relations
For consent to sexual relations, often alongside safeguarding or Court of Protection matters.
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Capacity to Use Social Media
For decisions about social media and online contact, including privacy and online risk.
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NHS Continuing Healthcare
12 services
Eligibility consultations, Checklist and Decision Support Tool support, appeals, mediation, Independent Review Panel and retrospective claims, in England.
All NHS Continuing Healthcare services
Every stage of the CHC pathway, from the first eligibility check to the Independent Review Panel and retrospective claims.
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CHC eligibility consultation and action plan
A consultation with a registered social worker about where you are in the CHC process and what to do next.
£280 plus VAT
Checklist advocacy and attendance
Advocacy for the formal Checklist screening and attendance at the meeting.
From £1,250 plus VAT
CHC assessment support: DST and MDT meeting
Evidence across the twelve care domains of the Decision Support Tool and representation at the multidisciplinary team meeting.
From £3,750 plus VAT
CHC appeal support: local resolution
Written submission and representation at local resolution with the Integrated Care Board.
From £3,950 plus VAT
Independent Social Care Needs Assessment & Care Plan
Included in the new client price of every CHC service and charged once. Independent needs assessment and written care plan, also available on its own.
£1,100 plus VAT
Case Review & Merits Assessment
Case review and written merits opinion, the first step for new clients before any appeal is instructed.
From £1,950 plus VAT
CHC Review Support
Independent evidence for the 3 month and annual reviews of a care package, where a reassessment can reduce or withdraw funding.
From £900 plus VAT
CHC Mediation
Representation at ICB mediation, where the ICB offers it.
From £1,750 plus VAT
NHS Independent Review Panel
Application and representation at the Independent Review Panel, handled as one merged stage.
From £6,250 plus VAT
Ombudsman (PHSO) Referral
Support with a referral to the Parliamentary and Health Service Ombudsman about how the process was handled.
From £2,500 plus VAT
Retrospective CHC Claims
Claims for periods of care that were never assessed, starting with a £495 records review credited if you proceed. Never a percentage.
From £6,950 plus VAT
Lasting Power of Attorney
3 services
Capacity assessments for granting or revoking an LPA and independent certificate provider appointments.
All Lasting Power of Attorney services
Granting, revoking and certifying an LPA, and when a capacity assessment is needed alongside a certificate provider.
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Capacity to grant a Lasting Power of Attorney
Where the question is making an LPA, not day-to-day finances.
From £600 plus VAT
Certificate provider for an LPA
Independent professional certification that the donor understands the LPA and is not under pressure.
£300 plus VAT
Court of Protection and expert reports
6 services
Property sale evidence for deputies and attorneys, retrospective and critical review opinions, life expectancy and personal injury capacity reports.
All Court of Protection and expert reports
Expert evidence for the Court of Protection, litigation and disputes, including retrospective opinions and critical review.
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Court of Protection property sale evidence
Best interests, care needs and residence capacity evidence to support a deputy's or attorney's application to sell a property.
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Critical review of a capacity report
An independent second opinion on an existing third-party mental capacity report.
£2,900 plus VAT
Retrospective mental capacity assessment
Court-ready opinion on whether a person had capacity for a past decision, from the records and witness evidence.
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Life expectancy reports
Independent life expectancy evidence for personal injury, clinical negligence and Court of Protection matters.
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Personal injury mental capacity
Decision-specific capacity evidence for personal injury and clinical negligence claims.
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Social care and case management
2 services
Independent social care needs assessment and care planning by a registered social worker, for families, deputies and attorneys.
All social care and case management services
Independent needs assessment, care planning and review by a registered social worker.
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Care assessment and care planning
Independent social care needs assessment and care planning by a registered social worker, for families, deputies and attorneys.
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EHCP and SEND
9 services
Applications, draft plan reviews, annual reviews and tribunal appeals for children and young people with special educational needs.
All EHCP and SEND support
Applications, draft plan reviews, annual reviews and tribunal appeals for children and young people with special educational needs.
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EHCP application support
Structured requests for an Education, Health and Care needs assessment under section 36 of the Children and Families Act 2014.
£1,080 including VAT
Draft EHCP review
Review of a draft plan to identify vague wording, missing provision and weak outcomes before it becomes legally binding.
£960 including VAT
Annual EHCP review
Review of draft amendments following an annual review, with a clear response within the 15-day amendment period.
£1,200 including VAT
EHCP evidence pack
One structured evidence bundle supporting applications, mediation and SEND Tribunal appeals.
£3,600 including VAT
Refusal to assess appeal (SEND35A)
Support to challenge a refusal to carry out an EHC needs assessment, with structured evidence preparation.
£3,300 including VAT
Refusal to issue EHCP appeal (SEND35)
Support to challenge a refusal to issue a plan after assessment and prepare the appeal to the SEND Tribunal.
£3,300 including VAT
EHCP mediation support
Evidence organised, legal issues clarified and a structured strategy for SEND mediation before tribunal.
From £720 including VAT
SEND Tribunal appeal and representation
Tribunal preparation and representation: structured evidence, submissions and advocacy at the hearing.
£1,080 including VAT
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Assessment Option | Suitable For | Typical features |
|---|---|---|
Enquiry
Tell us who the person is, what has happened and any dates. Our client liaison team identifies the service line and the specific service.
Scope confirmed in writing
The service, the fee and the timescale are confirmed in writing before any work starts.
The assessment or the work
A registered practitioner carries out the assessment, attends the meeting or prepares the evidence, face to face or remotely as the service requires.
Peer review
A second qualified professional reviews every report for reasoning, evidence and compliance before it is released.
Delivery and follow-up
The report or evidence is delivered securely, with clarification for instructing parties included afterwards.
What happens next
How instruction works
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Who we work with
For solicitors, deputies and other professionals
Instruction is straightforward and the evidential standard is consistent across every service line.
Scope confirmed in writing
The decision or task, the fee and the timescale are confirmed in writing before instruction.
A traceable evidential line
Evidence, analysis and conclusion are set out in a structure a court, solicitor, Integrated Care Board or the Office of the Public Guardian can follow.
Peer review as standard
A second qualified professional reviews every report before it leaves the practice.
One employed team
Practitioners are employed, not sourced from an associate panel, so the standard does not depend on who is available.
For families
Most people who contact us have never instructed a social worker before, and many are doing it at a difficult moment: a parent's capacity is in question, a funding decision has gone against the family, a child's plan is not being delivered. You get a named practitioner from the first call, a fee stated in writing before anything starts, and plain answers about what we can and cannot do. Where the honest answer is that you do not need us, or that you need a solicitor instead, we say so. The report or evidence is written so that you can follow it as easily as the court, the Integrated Care Board or the local authority it is addressed to, because a report the family cannot understand has failed part of its job.
For professionals
Solicitors, deputies, local authorities and health bodies instruct us because the standard does not vary with who is available. Every practitioner is employed, not drawn from an associate panel, so the same governance, templates and peer review apply to every instruction. Scope, fee and timescale are confirmed in writing before work begins, and the evidence is set out in a structure a court can follow: the question asked, the material considered, the analysis against the relevant legal test, and the opinion reached. Our reports have been relied on in the Court of Protection, the Family Court and the Court of Appeal, and clarification for instructing parties is included after delivery.
Provider evidence
Why choose Nellie Supports
England and Wales' largest identified specialist private social work and mental capacity assessment practice, with over 11,000 assessments and reports completed.
Common questions
Frequently asked questions
Which services does Nellie Supports offer?
Mental capacity assessments, NHS Continuing Healthcare support, Lasting Power of Attorney assessments and certificate provider appointments, Court of Protection and expert evidence, independent social care assessment and care planning, and EHCP and SEND advocacy. Each has its own hub page with the full list of services and fees.
Who can instruct you?
Families, deputies and attorneys, solicitors, local authorities, Integrated Care Boards and the courts. Where a service is instructed by a family we still write the report to the standard a court would expect.
How do I know which service I need?
Start with the question you need answered: a specific decision, a funding decision, a document, or a care need. If it is not obvious, contact us and our client liaison team will identify the right service and confirm the fee in writing before anything starts.
Are your services available remotely?
Many are. Capacity assessments can be carried out remotely where the decision and the person's circumstances allow it, and consultations, reviews and advocacy are often remote. Where a visit is needed we say so at the outset.
How long does each service take?
It depends on the service. Mental capacity reports are delivered within 5 working days of the assessment visit. NHS Continuing Healthcare and SEND work runs to the timetable set by the ICB, local authority or tribunal, and we tell you what that means for your case when we confirm scope.
What are your fees?
Every service has a fixed fee, stated plus VAT and published on our prices page. Standard mental capacity assessments start from £600 plus VAT. The fee is confirmed in writing before instruction and does not change unless the scope does.
Are your reports recognised by courts and statutory bodies?
Yes. Our reports are relied on in the Court of Protection, the Family Court and the Court of Appeal, and are used by the Office of the Public Guardian, local authorities and Integrated Care Boards. Every report is peer reviewed before delivery.
Where do I start if I need help today?
Contact us with the person's situation, what has happened and any dates involved. Our client liaison team will identify the right service and confirm the next step in writing.
Retrospective testamentary capacity and disputed wills
Guide to retrospective testamentary capacity and disputed wills, including historical records, witness evidence and Banks v Goodfellow.
Evidence that supports a financial capacity report
Evidence that supports a financial capacity report, including bank records, bills, assets, spending patterns and decision-specific understanding.
What is capacity to act as a trustee?
What capacity to act as a trustee means, including trustee duties, property responsibilities, conflicts and decision-specific evidence.
Compassionate mental capacity assessors for elderly relatives
Guide to compassionate mental capacity assessors for elderly relatives in England and Wales, including decision-specific evidence, MCA principles and when a f
Questions asked in a financial capacity assessment
Common questions asked in a financial capacity assessment, including money management, risks, bills, assets and decision-specific understanding.
Supporting guidance
Guides and explainers
Prices
Every fee, plus VAT, in one place.
Training and events
Nellie on the Sofa webinars and the Nellie Con conference for legal, health and social care professionals.
About the practice
Who we are, our registrations and our professional standards.
Where we work
Offices and coverage across England and Wales.
Also from Nellie Supports
Discuss the instruction
Not sure which service you need?
Tell us who the person is, what has happened and any dates involved, and our client liaison team will confirm the right service and the fee in writing.
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