Managing your money for social care

Ask us to be your corporate appointee or deputy

If there's nobody suitable or willing to manage your money, you can ask us to be:

  • Your Department for Work and Pension (DWP) corporate appointee.
  • Your property and financial affairs deputy.

These arrangements are managed by our Client Financial Affairs (CFA) team. For us to consider acting on your behalf, you must meet the following criteria:

  • You don't have any family, friends or access to organisations that can help you manage your money.
  • You're aged 18 or older.
  • You use adult care services.
  • You're claiming DWP benefits or state pension, or you have another source of income such as a private pension.
  • You don't have capital or assets, including property, worth over £25,000. If you do have over £25,000 in capital or assets, you should get legal advice from a solicitor.
  • You're finding it difficult to manage money. For example, you're not able to pay priority bills such as rent or care fees.
  • You didn't appoint an Enduring or Lasting Power of Attorney before becoming unable to manage your money.

How to ask us to be your corporate appointee or deputy

If you, or someone you know, would like us to manage their money:

  1. Ask your social care practitioner for further information.
  2. If you don't currently have a social care practitioner, or if you have any questions, please get in touch by:

What we'll do as your corporate appointee

If we become your corporate appointee:

  • We'll open a bank account in your name. All of your DWP benefit and state pension payments will be made into this account.
  • We'll manage this bank account and make sure that priority bills are correctly paid. This will include rent, utilities and care costs.
  • We'll arrange for you to receive a personal allowance if you're in residential care, or spending money on a pre-paid card if you live at home.
  • We'll make sure that you're receiving all the benefits and payments you're entitled to, and inform the DWP and Pension Service about any changes in your circumstances.
  • We can only speak to other organisations, such as utility companies, if you give them permission. They may ask for an authorisation form to be signed before we can act on your behalf.

Corporate appointee fees

If you live in residential or nursing care under an appointeeship, the fees are:

  • If the appointee's account balance is £4,999 or less: £349 a year, plus VAT.
  • If the appointee's account balance is between £5,000-£9,999: £375 a year, plus VAT.
  • If the appointee's account balance is £10,000 or more: £410 a year, plus VAT.

If you live in the community under an appointeeship, the fees are:

  • If the appointee's account balance is £4,999 or less: £669 a year, plus VAT.
  • If the appointee's account balance is between £5,000-£9,999: £721 a year, plus VAT.
  • If the appointee's account balance is £10,000 or more: £787 a year, plus VAT.

A review of the appointee's account balance will be completed on the first day of every financial quarter. If this falls on a non-working day, we'll use the balance from the previous working day.

Prepaid cards for appointeeship

If you are living in the community and we manage your money, you'll be given a prepaid card (either in your own name, your provider's name or both) which we use to pay you your benefits. The cost of the prepaid card account is included in the appointeeship fee above.

You'll need to pay £5 for lost or stolen cards. This charge will be taken directly from the money in your prepaid card account.

An emergency prepaid card will be issued as an interim measure while you wait to receive your replacement card. If you return the card, there will be no charge however an additional charge of £5 will be made for an emergency card that is not returned or damaged.

What we'll do as your deputy

If we agree to be your deputy, we'll then apply to the Court of Protection.

If you're receiving DWP benefits and state pension payments, we'll usually apply to become your appointee at the same time.

If the Court of Protection accepts us as your deputy, we will:

  • Manage your finances, including DWP benefits.
  • Manage the payment of your bills, care fees and personal allowance.
  • Manage your assets, including investments, bank accounts, private pensions or occupational pensions.
  • Seek independent financial advice to make sure your assets are used in your best interest.
  • Keep a record of any decisions, including how they were made and who we consulted.
  • Complete and submit an annual report to the Office of the Public Guardian (OPG), a government body. This will include details of bank transactions and will make sure we're acting in your best interest.

Deputy fees

Application fees and supervision fees to act as a court-appointed deputy are set by the Court of Protection. Fees to be a deputy

If we're appointed as your property and financial affairs deputy, there are additional fees:

  • Annual management fee: £702 for the first year, £650 every following year. If your net assets are below £16,000 you won't be charged more than 3.5 per cent of your net assets on the anniversary of the court order.
  • Annual property management fee: £300 a year.
  • Preparation and lodgement of annual account or report: £216
  • Work up to the court order appointing a deputy: £745

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