Registration Number: {{org_field_registration_no}}

Handling Service User Belongings and Valuables Policy

1. Purpose

The purpose of this policy is to establish clear guidelines for the handling, safeguarding, and management of service user belongings and valuables within {{org_field_name}}. This policy ensures that service users’ possessions are treated with respect, accountability, and transparency, while minimising the risks of loss, theft, or misplacement.

By implementing this policy, we ensure compliance with Care Quality Commission (CQC) Fundamental Standards, the Care Act 2014, and best practices in safeguarding vulnerable individuals and their property.

2. Scope

This policy applies to:

All employees, including care workers, administrative staff, and management.
Service users and their families, ensuring their belongings and valuables are protected.
Third-party contractors and external service providers working within service users’ homes.
Regulatory bodies and safeguarding teams, ensuring compliance with best practices.

It covers:

Principles for handling belongings and valuables.
Inventory and record-keeping procedures.
Safe storage and security measures.
Staff responsibilities and conduct.
Reporting and resolving issues.
Preventing financial and property abuse.

3. Legal and Regulatory Framework

This policy aligns with:

Care Act 2014 – Placing responsibilities on care providers to protect service users from financial abuse.
Mental Capacity Act 2005 – Supporting decision-making regarding property management.
Health and Social Care Act 2008 (Regulated Activities) Regulations 2014 – Ensuring protection of service users’ assets.
Equality Act 2010 – Preventing discrimination and ensuring fair treatment.
UK General Data Protection Regulation (UK GDPR) and Data Protection Act 2018 – Ensuring that any information about service users’ belongings, finances and valuables is collected, stored, used and shared lawfully, fairly and securely, with appropriate safeguards for confidentiality and data minimisation.

This policy supports compliance with the Health and Social Care Act 2008 (Regulated Activities) Regulations 2014, in particular:

Regulation 10 – Dignity and respect, by ensuring people’s personal possessions are handled in a way that upholds privacy and dignity.
Regulation 13 – Safeguarding service users from abuse and improper treatment, including financial and material abuse.
Regulation 17 – Good governance, by requiring robust records, audits and oversight of how belongings and valuables are handled and safeguarded.

4. Principles for Handling Belongings and Valuables

Our approach to managing service user belongings and valuables is based on:

Respect for personal property – Ensuring that all items are handled with care.
Transparency and accountability – Keeping accurate records of valuables under our care.
Security and safeguarding – Preventing unauthorised access to belongings.
Non-intrusive handling – Avoiding unnecessary interference with personal possessions.
Prompt reporting – Addressing any incidents of lost or missing items immediately.

5. Inventory and Record-Keeping Procedures

To ensure accountability and transparency, {{org_field_name}} maintains clear, auditable records whenever staff support service users with belongings, valuables or money. We will ensure that:

Initial property inventory – Where a service user requires support with valuables or significant possessions, an inventory of high-value or high-risk items (for example jewellery, electronic devices, cash kept at home) is documented and kept under review.
Care planning link – Any support with belongings, money or valuables is clearly described in the service user’s care plan and risk assessment, and reviewed at least annually or sooner if needs change.
Signed documentation – Service users (or their representative, appointee, attorney or deputy) and staff sign to confirm the accuracy of any inventory and any subsequent changes.
Financial transaction records – Where staff assist with shopping, online purchases, withdrawing cash, paying bills or handling money on behalf of a service user, a financial transaction record is completed each time, showing:
- date and time
- purpose of the transaction
- amount of money involved
- starting and ending balance (where applicable)
- receipt or other evidence attached
- signatures of the staff member and, where possible, the service user.
Receipts – Receipts are obtained and attached for all purchases made by staff using a service user’s money. Where a receipt cannot be obtained, this is clearly recorded with an explanation, and countersigned by a second member of staff or the line manager.
Dual-signatory arrangements – Where practical, balances of cash held on behalf of service users and any reconciliations are checked and signed by two members of staff, or by staff and the service user or their representative.
Regular audits – The Registered Manager or delegated person completes regular audits of inventories, financial transaction records and reconciliations, and promptly follows up any discrepancies.
Secure storage of records – All records relating to belongings, valuables and finances are stored securely and retained in line with {{org_field_name}}’s data protection and records retention policies, in compliance with UK GDPR and the Data Protection Act 2018.

6. Safe Storage and Security Measures

To prevent loss or theft:

Service users retain full access and control over their belongings unless support is needed.
Storage guidance is followed, ensuring items are safely secured as per service user preference.
Keys and lockable storage options are available for those needing extra security.
Staff do not hold or manage large sums of money or valuable items unless explicitly authorised.

In relation to money, bank cards and financial information, {{org_field_name}} will also ensure that:

Staff must not use a service user’s bank or building society card, online banking, or contactless payment methods unless this is clearly authorised in the care plan, risk-assessed, and there are agreed written controls in place.
Staff must never record, retain or share a service user’s PIN, online banking password or other security information. If a service user chooses to share such details, staff must explain the risks and record the discussion; staff must not store this information in any written form.
Where a service user cannot safely manage bank cards or cash, we will work with the commissioning authority, family, appointee, attorney or deputy to agree safe arrangements (for example, use of a local authority or appointee scheme).
Staff must not keep a service user’s money, cards or valuables in their own possession, vehicles or homes. Any temporary holding of items (for example, while on an outing) must be clearly recorded and reconciled immediately after use.
Any loss or suspected theft of money, bank cards, benefit books, identification or valuables is treated as a potential safeguarding concern and reported without delay in line with our Safeguarding and Whistleblowing Policies.

Mental Capacity, Consent and Best Interests

{{org_field_name}} recognises that handling belongings, valuables and money can involve significant decisions and potential risk. We will apply the five principles of the Mental Capacity Act 2005 whenever there is doubt about a person’s capacity to make decisions about their property or finances. In particular:

We will assume capacity unless there is clear reason to doubt it, and provide information and support in accessible formats to help the person make their own decision.
Where there is doubt, a decision-specific capacity assessment will be completed and recorded, following the MCA Code of Practice.
If a person lacks capacity for a particular property or finance decision, any action taken by staff must be in the person’s best interests, using a structured best-interests decision process and involving those who know the person well (family, friends, attorney, deputy, appointee or advocate) as appropriate.
Where a person has an appointed attorney, deputy or DWP appointee, staff will work within the limits of that authority and follow any relevant instructions, while continuing to safeguard the person from financial abuse.
Records of capacity assessments and best-interests decisions relating to belongings, valuables or finances will be kept with the care plan and reviewed regularly.

7. Staff Responsibilities and Conduct

All staff must:

Obtain explicit consent before handling any service user belongings.
Respect privacy and avoid touching personal possessions unless necessary.
Refrain from borrowing money, lending money, or entering into any private financial arrangements with service users or their families.
Follow strict documentation and reporting protocols when valuables are handled.

Staff must not solicit or accept cash gifts, tips or other high-value gifts from service users or their representatives. Low-value “thank you” gifts (for example, chocolates or flowers) may only be accepted in line with {{org_field_name}}’s Gifts and Hospitality guidance and must be declared to the line manager and recorded in the gifts register.

Staff must not be named as a beneficiary or executor in a service user’s will, and must not witness wills or other legal documents for service users, except in line with specific organisational guidance and with prior approval from the Registered Manager.

8. Reporting and Resolving Issues

In the event of missing, lost, damaged or suspected stolen belongings, money or valuables:

Incidents must be reported immediately to the Registered Manager or designated safeguarding lead and recorded as an incident in line with {{org_field_name}}’s Incident Reporting Policy.
The manager will assess whether the concern meets the threshold for safeguarding referral to the local authority and/or for police involvement, and will act without delay where financial or material abuse is suspected.
Where the incident meets the definition of a notifiable safety incident and has caused, or may cause, significant harm or distress, {{org_field_name}} will comply with the duty of candour by informing the service user and/or their representative, offering an apology and providing written information about what happened and what will be done to prevent recurrence.
A proportionate investigation will be undertaken to establish the circumstances, identify any contributory factors and determine whether disciplinary or other action is required.
Service users and (where appropriate) their families, appointees, attorneys or deputies will be informed of the findings and given information about how to raise a complaint if they remain dissatisfied.
Lessons learned will be recorded and used to update care plans, risk assessments, staff training and this policy where needed.

9. Preventing Financial and Property Abuse

{{org_field_name}} recognises financial and material abuse as a form of abuse under safeguarding legislation and Regulation 13 of the Health and Social Care Act 2008 (Regulated Activities) Regulations 2014. We will:

Ensure all staff receive initial and refresher safeguarding training that includes clear guidance on:
- recognising signs and patterns of financial and material abuse
- professional boundaries in relation to money, gifts and belongings
- how to raise concerns and use whistleblowing channels.
Provide role-specific training for staff who regularly support people with money, shopping or valuables, including practical exercises on record-keeping, receipts, reconciliation and responding to concerns.
Operate clear financial and property handling protocols that set out what staff may and may not do, and which require manager approval for any exceptional arrangements.
Maintain whistleblowing arrangements that enable staff, service users and others to raise concerns anonymously if they wish, without fear of reprisal.
Work collaboratively with local safeguarding adults boards, commissioning authorities and the police to ensure that any suspected financial or material abuse is investigated and addressed quickly and transparently.
Use audits, complaints, incident reports and safeguarding data to identify patterns or emerging risks and take preventative action.

10. Monitoring and Continuous Improvement

To ensure the effectiveness of this policy:

Regular audits and inspections of inventory records and security measures are conducted.
Feedback from service users and families is used to improve handling procedures.
Policy updates are made in response to regulatory changes or incidents.

Insurance and Liability

{{org_field_name}} maintains appropriate insurance and indemnity arrangements to cover potential liabilities that may arise in relation to loss of, or damage to, service users’ belongings or valuables where this is due to our negligence or failure to follow agreed procedures.

Service users and their representatives are informed, in accessible formats, of what is and is not covered by our insurance, and are encouraged to arrange their own contents insurance where appropriate.

11. Policy Review and Updates

This policy is reviewed annually or sooner if:

There are legal or regulatory changes requiring updates.
Issues arise that necessitate revisions to existing procedures.
Service user or staff feedback highlights the need for improvements.

Responsible Person: {{org_field_registered_manager_first_name}} {{org_field_registered_manager_last_name}}
Reviewed on: {{last_update_date}}
Next Review Date: {{next_review_date}}
Copyright © {{current_year}} – {{org_field_name}}. All rights reserved.

DC48-Handling Service User Belongings and Valuables Policy