Ageing and Adult Safeguarding Act 1995

For the purposes of this Act, serious abuse of a relevant adult means abuse of a kind referred to in section 4 which has had, or is likely to have, a significant impact on the relevant adult.

For the purposes of this Act, serious financial abuse of a relevant adult means the improper use of a relevant adult's assets or the use or withholding of a relevant adult's resources to the extent that the abuse has caused, or is likely to cause, hardship to, or otherwise have a significant impact on, the relevant adult.

For the purposes of this Act, serious criminal offence means a criminal offence which has been, or is likely to be, committed against a relevant adult which has had, or is likely to have, a significant adverse impact on the relevant adult or their ordinary quality or standard of living.

Whether abuse, financial abuse or a criminal offence is serious is to be determined on a case‑by‑case basis with reference to the impact of the abuse or offence on the relevant adult to whom the relevant matter relates.