Expert COP3 Capacity Assessments Across England & Wales

Trusted COP3 & PA14 Capacity Assessments Across England & Wales – Expert, Court-Ready Reports for Solicitors, Deputies, and Families

Nova Care provides specialist COP3 capacity assessments across England and Wales, delivering court-ready, legally defensible reports trusted by solicitors, deputies, and families.

Our team of registered experts has over 7 years’ post-qualifying experience, with senior members having held leadership or management roles in complex cases. Some of our specialists have appeared before T1 and T2 judges in the Court of Protection, giving them deep insight into the system. All our expert witnesses are trained by Bond Solon, ensuring the highest professional standards.

Our casework specialists make certain every assessment is legally robust, fully compliant, and court-ready, giving you confidence that your COP3 report will withstand scrutiny and support deputyship or probate proceedings with authority and clarity.

Why Nova Care’s Capacity Assessments Are Recognised as Best‑in‑Class across England & Wales

Nova Care’s COP3 capacity assessments are completed by highly experienced practitioners who combine rigorous legal understanding with practical capacity expertise.

Our assessors are not only registered health and care professionals but also have held senior leadership, management, or system governance roles within the NHS or Local Authorities, meaning we understand both how capacity works in practice and how the Court of Protection applies it.

This goes beyond traditional assessment practices, ensuring that every COP3 report we produce provides clear, legally defensible reasoning grounded in the Mental Capacity Act 2005.

A key factor in achieving successful Court of Protection outcomes is our commitment to excellence. Our assessors are already experts in their field, requiring no lengthy induction, and are confident in producing robust, court-ready reports for deputyship, probate, and other legal proceedings across England and Wales

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 £425 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 £1,095.

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.

Do you have any questions?