Administrative justice and charging for long-term care

Drawing on the findings of a study in the area of charging for long-term care for older people, this article makes links between perceptions and practices of local authority professionals and the concept of administrative justice. The research revealed that discretion was exercised at all levels, although not all staff were aware of this. Cases may be treated differently and accidents of geography, local political culture or personnel are likely to affect the outcome of financial assessments of adults. The implications of this work remain timely since means tested assessment of personal care and residency costs look set to continue in England and Wales.