How to handle the money, property and financial affairs of the people we support, safely, honestly and in line with CQC regulations. Takes about 20 minutes. Complete the quiz at the end and submit your completion, the Nexime office is notified automatically.
Why this training matters
The rules behind it
Many of the people we support need help with money: shopping, paying for activities, keeping cash safe at home. That help is a position of trust, and the law treats it that way.
CQC Regulation 13, Safeguarding service users from abuse. The regulation names financial abuse as a form of abuse. It includes theft, fraud, misuse of a person's money, property or benefits, and putting pressure on a person about money, wills or possessions. Providers must take action to prevent it and to respond when it is suspected.
CQC Regulation 17, Good governance. Providers must keep accurate, complete and contemporaneous records, and that includes financial records. Every pound handled on a service user's behalf must be accounted for, with evidence.
The Care Act 2014 defines financial abuse as having money or property stolen, being defrauded, being put under pressure in relation to money, or having money misused.
The Mental Capacity Act 2005 reminds us that a person should be supported to make their own financial decisions wherever they have capacity to do so. Helping with money never means taking it over.
What this means for you: poor money handling is never a paperwork problem. It is a safeguarding matter, it can end a career, and in serious cases it is a crime investigated by the police.
The Nexime rules
These apply on every shift, in every service, with no exceptions
1
Only handle money when you are authorisedYou may only support a person with money when their care plan or the service's procedure says so. If you are not sure, ask the senior on duty before touching any money.
2
Get a receipt for every transactionEvery purchase, however small, needs a receipt. If a receipt genuinely cannot be obtained, record the amount, date and reason and have it witnessed by another staff member.
3
Record everything immediatelyEnter every transaction in the service's finance record straight away: date, amount, what it was for, and your signature. Never leave it until later or until the end of shift.
4
Count and witnessWhen money changes hands between staff, or at handover, count it together and both sign. Where the service requires two signatures, never skip the second.
5
Keep money completely separateNever mix a service user's money with your own, never put their cash in your own pocket or purse even briefly, and never pay for their items with your own money or card to be paid back later.
6
Never borrow, lend, buy, sell or accept giftsNo borrowing from or lending to a service user, no buying from or selling anything to them, and no accepting money or gifts, however kindly offered. Politely decline and tell the senior on duty.
7
Cards and PINsOnly use a service user's bank card where the care plan authorises it, only for them, and never store or share their PIN. Online purchases only through the service's agreed procedure.
8
Never take a financial role in their lifeYou must never become an appointee, attorney, executor or beneficiary for a service user, witness their will, or involve yourself in their financial or legal affairs in any personal capacity.
9
Report every discrepancy at onceMoney missing, a total that will not balance, a receipt that does not match: report it to the senior on duty the same day, however small. Reporting fast protects you.
10
Follow the client's own procedureWhen you work in a client's service, their finance procedure applies on top of these rules. Read it at induction to the service and ask if anything is unclear.
Recognising financial abuse
You are often the person best placed to spot it
Financial abuse can be committed by anyone: family members, friends, neighbours, strangers, other professionals, and sometimes care staff. Signs to watch for include:
Money or belongings going missing, or a person suddenly short of money when their income has not changed
Unexplained withdrawals from their account, or unusual spending that does not fit the person
Unpaid bills or missing benefits when someone else manages their money
A person seeming anxious, secretive or frightened when money is discussed
Someone else taking a sudden close interest in the person's money, property or will
Pressure on the person to hand over cash, sign documents or change arrangements
Remember: you do not need to be certain, and you must never investigate yourself. Your job is to notice, record the facts, and report. Deciding what happened is someone else's job.
Reporting concerns
Report to the nurse in charge or senior on duty in the service, the same day, and record what you saw factually: what, when, where, who, in the service's records.
Inform the Nexime office so we are aware and can support you.
If your concern involves a colleague or a manager and you feel it is not being taken seriously, use the whistleblowing route: contact Nexime management directly, and you can also contact the local authority safeguarding team or CQC. You are legally protected when you raise a genuine concern.
If a crime may have been committed, such as theft, the police will be involved. Never tidy up, move money, or confront anyone before reporting.
Put it into practice
Three situations you could meet on shift. Decide what you would do, then check.
1. The corner shop
You take Daniel to the shop with £10 from his cash tin. He buys snacks for £3.40 and the shopkeeper does not offer a receipt. Daniel wants to leave.
Ask the shopkeeper for a receipt, most will print one if asked. If you truly cannot get one, record the purchase, amount and reason there and then, return £6.60 to the tin in front of a colleague, and have the entry witnessed. Never decide a small amount "doesn't matter".
2. The kind offer
Margaret is delighted with your support and insists you take £20 "for your trouble". She becomes upset when you hesitate.
Decline warmly but firmly, you can thank her and explain staff are not allowed to accept money. Then tell the senior on duty and record the offer. Reporting protects you: if money later goes missing, an unreported offer looks very different.
3. The sums don't add up
At handover, the cash tin holds £43.70 but the record says it should hold £53.70. The outgoing staff member says "it's probably just a missed receipt, don't worry about it".
Do not sign the handover as correct. Count the money together, record the discrepancy exactly as found, and report it to the senior on duty immediately. Never accept "don't worry about it", and never sign for money you have not counted.
Knowledge check
10 questions. You need 8 correct to pass. You can retake it if you need to.
0/10
Nexime Healthcare
Record of Completion
has completed the mandatory induction training Managing Service Users' Finances
The button opens your completion record with your name and score already filled in. Check it and press Submit. The Nexime office receives it automatically and saves it to your staff file.