CHC case review: a clear written opinion on your case
A CHC case review is a careful read of your relative's CHC paperwork, a call with you and a written opinion on the case. It tells you whether the case looks worth taking further, what the strongest points are and what to do next. It costs £495.
- We read every paper you send
- A phone or video call with you
- A written opinion you can keep
What's included in a CHC case review
NHS Continuing Healthcare (CHC) is care arranged and paid for in full by the NHS. We read your relative's CHC papers and check them against the National Framework, the written rules the NHS uses to decide CHC funding in England.
The papers usually include two NHS forms. The Checklist is a short screening form, and the Decision Support Tool (DST) records the full assessment. We look at whether all of your relative's needs were recorded. We check that needs which are well managed were still counted as needs. We also check whether the integrated care board (ICB), the NHS body that decides CHC funding in your area, followed the assessment team's recommendation.
Then we'll call you, by phone or video, to go through what we've found and hear what the papers don't show. After the call, we'll send you a written opinion on the strong and weak points of the case and the best next step.
What we read
- The NHS Continuing Healthcare Checklist
- The Decision Support Tool and any notes from the meeting
- The ICB's decision letter
- Care notes, care plans and daily records
- Letters from the GP, the hospital or other professionals
- Anything you've written down about your relative's needs
Who reviews your case
One person reviews your case, from the first read of the papers to the written opinion. That's the person you speak to on the call. You can read more about who we are and how we work.
We're a small team and we work in England only, because Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland have different rules. We don't have a nurse or doctor on staff. If a complex case needs a clinical opinion, we can buy one in, and we'll agree the cost with you first. We're not part of the NHS. The opinion you get is information about the NHS process and our view of your case, not legal advice.
Who a case review is for
A case review helps at any of these points. If you're not sure where things stand, it's a good way to find out.
CHC funding refused
You've had a letter saying your relative isn't eligible, or that their funding will stop. You'd like to know if it's worth challenging. Our page on CHC appeals sets out the stages.
An assessment coming up
A Checklist or a full assessment is due, and you'd like to know where the case stands first. See how our CHC assessment support works.
Paying care fees now
Your relative pays for their care and has significant health needs, but nobody has mentioned CHC. Or a Checklist came back negative and you think it missed something.
Fees paid in the past
Your family paid for care since April 2012, perhaps for someone who has since died. You'd like to know whether you could claim back the care fees.
Not ready to book yet? The free check asks a few short questions about your relative's needs and suggests a next step.
How a case review works
Get in touch
Send us a message or ask for a call back. Tell us briefly what's happened, and whether the decision letter gives a date you need to work to.
Send the paperwork
We'll tell you what to send and how to send it.
We read everything
We read every paper and check it against the rules in the National Framework.
A call to talk it through
We'll call you to go through what we've found and answer your questions. You can tell us anything the papers leave out.
Your written opinion
We'll send you a written opinion on the case and the best next step.
What a CHC case review costs
CHC case review
£495fixed price, taken off the next stage
- We read the Checklist, the Decision Support Tool, the decision letter and the care notes
- A phone or video call to talk it through
- A written opinion on the case and the best next step
The price doesn't cover the next stage, such as support at an assessment or an appeal. Each of those has its own price.
You can see every service and its price on our prices page.
How our price compares
We run a competing service. Here's our price next to the nearest service from Beacon CHC, with where the figure came from.
| Service | CHC Funding Support | Beacon CHC | Compass CHC |
|---|---|---|---|
| Case review | £495 | £1,920 | No prices published |
Beacon: published prices from its fees page at beaconchc.co.uk, read 12 November 2026, with VAT at 20% added because Beacon adds VAT to its fees. Compass publishes no prices. Where we show a Compass figure, it's what some reviewers on Trustpilot say they paid (review 1, review 2, read 12 November 2026). A quote from Compass may be different.
Beacon's nearest service is its Expert Analysis, which covers the assessment paperwork, a written opinion and an hour of consultation.
What happens after the review
Nobody can know the outcome in advance. When we've finished the review, we'll write to you with our view.
If we think the case is worth taking further
We'll set out the next step, what you could do yourself, and what we'd charge to do it for you. You'll have all of this in writing before you decide.
If we don't
We'll tell you in writing and explain why, before you pay for the next stage. Where other help might suit you better, we'll point you to it. That could be council funding or NHS-funded Nursing Care (FNC), a fixed weekly NHS payment towards nursing costs in a care home with nursing. Our guide to who pays for care home fees explains both.
If it needs a solicitor
Some disputes go beyond the NHS process, such as a judicial review in the courts. We're not solicitors, so if we think your case needs one, we'll say so and explain why.
Questions about the case review
What paperwork do I need for a CHC case review?
Send whatever you have. The most useful papers are the Checklist, the Decision Support Tool, the ICB's decision letter and any care notes or care plans. If some are missing, we'll tell you how to ask the ICB for copies.
If you're acting for someone else, we'll need their written permission or proof of your authority, such as a power of attorney.
How long does a case review take?
Once we have the paperwork, we aim to send your written opinion within 10 working days. If the decision letter gives a time limit for asking for a review, tell us when you first get in touch. We'll work to that date.
Can you review a case if my relative has died?
Yes. If your relative paid for care the NHS should have assessed for CHC, a case review can tell you whether a claim looks worth making. A claim can usually cover care from 1 April 2012 onwards, and the executor or administrator of the estate can make it.
Is the case review fee taken off later work?
Yes. We take it off the price of the next stage you ask us to take on, such as an assessment or an appeal. The written quote for that stage shows the amount taken off.
Do I need a case review before an appeal?
You don't need one to appeal. You can ask the ICB for a review of its decision yourself. The decision letter should explain how to do that and by when. We do ask for a case review before we quote for an appeal. We need to read the papers to know how much work it will take.
Get help with your case
Tell us what's happening and when suits you, and we'll call you back.