Mental Capacity Assessments

Why use NovaCare?

• We're Bond Solon expert witnesses, and we maintain a 100% acceptance rate for all our reports.

• In-person attendance is our primary method of assessment, upholding the highest standards.

• Multi-award-winning experts and expert assessors for all your private client needs.

• All qualified professionals with health and care leadership experience.

• Rapid and reliable assessments, compliant with CPR35 or FPR25.

What we assess

We provide a range of comprehensive Mental Capacity Assessments conducted by experienced, registered health and care professionals. We undertake decision specific Mental Capacity Act (MCA) assessments under the Mental Capacity Act 2005 and can provide expert determinations for the Court of Protection or First-Tier Tribunal (Mental Health) for England / MHRT for Wales.

• Our highly trained staff undertake a range of assessments, including:

- Residency capacity (capacity to consent to live in an accommodation)
- Using and consuming alcohol/other harmful substances
- Engaging with social media and the internet
- Managing health, welfare and care needs
- Managing property and financial affairs
- Consent to the use of CCTV / Telecare
- Retrospective capacity assessments
- Revoking a Lasting Power of Attorney
- Making a Lasting Power of Attorney
- PA14 Probate Medical Certificates
- Capacity to enter into a contract*
- Engaging in sexual relations (sex)
- Lifetime gifting (Re Beany)
- COP3 Assessment Forms
- Testamentary capacity
- Litigation capacity
- Capacity to do

* Capacity to enter into a contract covers the capacity to sign a tenancy, sale / purchase a house, enter into a credit agreement, marry, end a contract, enter into equity release and divorce to name a few.

Frequently Asked Questions

Why do I need a capacity assessment?

If there are concerns about a person's ability to make a decision, whether it concerns legal matters related to care, health, or financial affairs, you may be advised to seek a specialist assessment from us. This covers making or changing a Will or acting as an Executor or an Administrator with a Grant of Probate.

What is a mental capacity assessment, and who leads your assessments?

A mental capacity assessment, sometimes called an MCA, is a specialist assessment about decision making or best interests. Our assessments are led by a qualified, registered professional. The professional may be a chartered psychologist, a health or care professional or a specialist therapist. We never used unchartered or unregulated professionals, unlike some other firms. Our reports are compliant with CPR Part 35 or FPR Part 25 and are accepted by courts and tribunals as expert evidence.

How much does it cost?

Our standard fee for a capacity assessment to make a Lasting Power of Attorney or a COP3 starts from just £450 plus VAT and travel. We offer a dual assessment service (more than one decision) from £750. If you need an expert witness for a complex assessment, such as capacity to litigate, our fees start from £1995.

How long does it take?

We can accept bookings the same day, allocate to a practitioner and often see the person within 7 days. Sometimes, when we are busy, we may need to offer this within 10 days (or 2 weeks), but we are frequently called upon to support clients and families, as we are known for our rapid, reliable and responsive service. We can also act on urgent matters within 72 hours.

The assessment may include a mental state report and a cognitive assessment, so these can take around 90 minutes to administer. In 72% of cases in 2025, we completed the assessment within 60-75 minutes. The remaining 28% cases were dual assessments or required additional time for clinical reasons.

I am a family member. Can I arrange this myself?

We always recommend that you engage the services of a legal, probate or financial professional, but we can and do accept referrals from clients, families and concerned third parties. You must be the instructing and contracting party; this means you pay for the assessment.

How many assessments have you completed?

We have completed in excess of 5,000 assessments in our history. We average around 15-20 assessments a week with our team of practitioners working acorss England and Wales.

Have you been assessed and rejected by judges?

Never, we have never had any of our assessments rejected by a court or judge. Unlike other companies, we use only highly qualified staff with over 7 years of experience.

Can you issue a formal certificate in some cases?

Yes, when we assess for executor capacity, we issue a PA14 Probate Medical Certificate or, in cases of litigation, we complete a Certificate to Litigate. We do not charge extra for this certificate, but a £6 postage fee may be applied, or a £12 fee for next-day delivery service is needed urgently.

Do you offer retrospective capacity assessments?

Yes, only staff who are trained court experts will undertake this work, as it is likely a retrospective report may be subject to pre-litigation, or be subject to a challenge, so we make sure you have the right professional for the right assessment.

Can you attend court if required?

Yes, our assessors are trained to give oral evidence and can attend court. Our fees for this are fixed hourly fees, based on the grade or the assessor, and range from £125 for an associate consultant to £295 per hour for an expert witness.

Do you travel?

Yes, we have staff across several locations in England and Wales, and we are rarely more than 2.5-3 hours from you, so our team will come to you. In the rare cases you may need an expert assessor, they may travel from our main office in Hampshire.

Can you assess the person online?

Rarely, our face-to-face assessments meet the gold standard, and we do not offer routine remote assessments unless there is a clinical or ethical reason, making this the best option. A word of warning: we are increasingly asked by solicitors (and the courts) to reassess people who have been 'remotely' assessed by other companies, so we know our standard is among the highest across England and Wales.

Who can order a capacity assessment?

Almost anyone. We need the agreement of the person to assess them, not necessarily their informed consent, but they must not object to our assessment and involvement. If this may be a challenge, give us a call, and we can always guide you to the best option.

What if I do not agree with your assessment?

We understand that there may be disappointment with assessment outcomes from time to time. Before we work with you, we make sure you understand that we act with complete integrity and honesty, and that we base our opinions and outcomes on evidence and facts.

I have another question not covered here? Help!

Not to worry, we're always on hand to answer your questions, and you can speak with a consultant anytime by calling us on 0333 335 6547. Sometimes our assistants or administrators will know the answer; if not, you'll always be able to speak with an assessor.

How to book an assessment

We limit the number of steps you need to take to book an assessment with us. We have three simple steps:

Step 1 : Contact us by email, telephone, online or using the 'book a consultation' link below. You can also purchase an assessment directly. We will ask for essential details about the assessment (or email you our scoping form). We will provide a written quote after the consultation. You can request direct access to our fee guide by clicking here to learn about our fees.

Step 2: It's time to allocate a named consultant. Sometimes, we can combine steps 1 and 2 in one single call. At this stage, we'll ask for either a whole or a part payment to secure your booking. If you're using a solicitor, we may be able to invoice directly. Please check with us.

Step 3: We'll undertake a face-to-face visit at a place and time where the person is most comfortable, affording the person the best opportunity. Sometimes we may need to assess the person again, particularly for decisions that require longevity. We then write the report and email or post it to you, usually within five (5) working days after assessment, or once full payment has cleared.

* As a leading capacity assessment service, we respect the use of technology to aid our assessments, but we disagree that a comprehensive evaluation can be undertaken by remote means alone, and we can never be sure of the individual's circumstances when assessing by a computer or telephone. We therefore do not offer any form of remote-based assessment for our first assessments. We may at times agree to follow up by remote means, but this is assessed on a case by case basis.

Do you have any questions?