Surrey · Sussex · Hampshire · Berkshire · London
Cornerstone Assessments is an independent Mental Capacity Act practice providing Certificate Provider services, capacity assessments and COP3 reports — locally based, court-ready, and delivered by a registered social work professional.
Rooted in Surrey — no long-distance travel fees added to national providers' rates.
Mental capacity work is all we do. Focused expertise, not a general consultancy.
Referrals acknowledged within one working day, with visits arranged promptly.
Assessments written to the standard solicitors and the Court of Protection expect.
What we do
Clear, fixed fees with travel included across our core Surrey coverage area. Complex or urgent instructions are quoted individually before any work begins.
The independent certificate every Lasting Power of Attorney requires. We meet the donor privately, confirm they understand the purpose and scope of the LPA, and certify that no fraud or undue pressure is involved — with a clear written record of the discussion for the file.
A full, decision-specific assessment of mental capacity under sections 2 and 3 of the Mental Capacity Act 2005 — for decisions about finances, property, gifting, care arrangements or making an LPA. Delivered as a structured written report suitable for solicitors, families and providers.
The formal assessment of capacity required for a deputyship application to the Court of Protection. We visit the person, carry out the assessment and complete the COP3 form to the evidential standard the Court expects — supporting solicitors and lay applicants alike.
Practical, plain-English support for families navigating the LPA process — understanding the forms, the roles of donor, attorney and certificate provider, and what the Office of the Public Guardian requires. Guidance, not regulated legal advice; we work alongside your solicitor where one is instructed.
All fees are confirmed in writing before any appointment is booked. No VAT is currently charged.
The difference
National providers charge substantial hourly travel on top of their fees to reach Surrey. We are based here — which typically saves clients hundreds of pounds per appointment and means faster availability.
Every assessment is carried out by a Social Work England registered professional with over fifteen years of Mental Capacity Act practice in statutory adult social work.
We hold no interest in the outcome of any assessment. Our conclusions are evidence-based and honestly reported — including when the answer is not the one hoped for.
Reports are structured for legal use: decision-specific, referenced to the statutory test, and written to withstand scrutiny from the OPG, the Court of Protection and opposing parties.
Working with professionals
We take instructions from professionals across the South East and treat every referral as a reflection of your own service — prompt, discreet and reliably documented.
Certificate Provider instructions, capacity assessments for wills, gifts and LPAs, and COP3s for deputyship applications.
An alternative when practices are unable to take on certificate or capacity assessment requests from patients.
On-site assessments for residents, arranged around care routines and with families kept informed.
Independent reviews of capacity where circumstances change or decisions need fresh evidence.
Capacity evidence to support later-life planning, equity release and significant financial decisions.
Independent assessments where an external, impartial opinion is required.
Email brief details of the person, the decision in question and any deadline.
We respond within one working day with the fee, timescale and any information needed.
We attend the person at home, in a care setting, in hospital or at your office.
Certificate or court-ready report provided promptly, typically within five working days.
Where we work
Home visits are our standard — we come to the person, wherever they are most comfortable and best able to engage.
Travel included
By arrangement
Outside the core area a modest travel contribution may apply — always agreed in writing before booking, never added afterwards.
No obligation
A short phone or video call to understand the situation, confirm whether we are the right service, and agree the fee and timescale — before you commit to anything.
Request a consultationThe practice
Cornerstone Assessments was founded by a Social Work England registered social worker with over fifteen years of combined social care and statutory adult social work experience, specialising in the Mental Capacity Act, capacity assessment and safeguarding practice across Surrey.
The practice exists to fill a clear gap: families and professionals in Surrey and the surrounding counties have had to rely on national providers travelling long distances at significant additional cost, or on GPs who increasingly decline this work. We provide the same professional standard — locally, faster, and without the travel premium.
Every instruction is handled with the discretion this work demands. Assessments involve sensitive personal circumstances, and we treat the people we meet with the respect, patience and dignity that fifteen years of frontline practice has taught us they deserve.
Common questions
Every LPA must include a certificate from an independent person confirming that the donor understands the purpose and scope of the LPA, and that no fraud or undue pressure is being used to make them sign it. We meet the donor privately, have that conversation properly, and complete the certificate — with a written record of the discussion kept on file in case it is ever questioned.
A structured but conversational meeting with the person, usually lasting around an hour, focused on the specific decision in question. We apply the two-stage test in the Mental Capacity Act 2005 — supporting the person to demonstrate their understanding wherever possible — and then produce a written report setting out the evidence and conclusion.
Wherever the person is: their own home, a care home, supported living, hospital, or a solicitor's office. Familiar surroundings usually help people engage at their best, so home visits are our default rather than an extra.
We report honestly — that is the whole point of an independent assessment. If the person lacks capacity for the decision in question, the report says so clearly, explains the evidence, and we outline the realistic next steps, which may include a deputyship application to the Court of Protection supported by a COP3 assessment.
No. We are an independent assessment practice, not a law firm, and we do not provide regulated legal advice. We work alongside solicitors — many of our instructions come from them — and where you need legal advice we will say so plainly and suggest you obtain it.
Referrals are acknowledged within one working day, and appointments are usually available within days rather than weeks — one of the practical advantages of being local. Genuinely urgent instructions, for example where health is deteriorating, are prioritised wherever possible.
Assessments are carried out by a Social Work England registered social worker with over fifteen years of statutory Mental Capacity Act practice, holding BASW independent membership, an enhanced DBS on the Update Service, professional indemnity insurance and ICO registration for data protection.
Get in touch
Tell us briefly about the situation — who the assessment is for, the decision in question, and any deadline — and we will come back to you within one working day with clear next steps and a confirmed fee.
admin@cornerstone-assessments.co.uk
Coverage
Surrey & the South East
Response
Within one working day