Can I Draw My Uncle's Pension On His Behalf?

Spruance

My 86 year old uncle has spent the last six weeks in hospital, where he is receiving treatment for various ailments. This in turn means that he has been physically unable to draw his pension during his hospital stay and at £146/week this now amounts to a sizeable £876.00. He normally draws his pension via a card and PIN arrangement at the local Post Office and whilst he wouldn't object to me having his PIN it would be rather difficult for me as a 51 year old to pass myself off as an 86 year old man, and come to that is it legal?

Uncle's medical condition means that he is unable to walk at present (he cannot even get in and out of bed unaided) and so there is absolutely no way that he can get to the Post Office to draw his own pension. We are led to believe that this state of affairs is likely to continue for some weeks yet. So my question is does 'the system' allow for him to nominate someone else to draw his pension on his behalf? Alternatively can we request that his pension be sent via bank giro which we could then pay into his bank account?

Looking to the future my uncle has consented to me registering a Lasting Power of Attorney to avoid this sort of problem recurring but as that process can take up to 14 weeks it doesn't really help as regards getting hold of the pension money.

Any suggestions/advice would be greatly appreciated.

preable

Only the cardholder may withdraw from the post office account sorry unless its a card that you can use in the cash machine then you can withdraw £250-£300 per day?

chesky369

Can your uncle not arrange to have his pension paid directly into his bank account, rather than the post office account?

anmarj

there is a option of a second card hold on the poca but you would have to get the paperwork from the post office and get your uncle to sign the form so that a second card with seperate pin can be issued

Spruance

Thanks for the suggestions.

Yes I agree that direct payment of his pension into his bank account would be the most sensible option, and that is the arrangement that my parents have with their pension. Unfortunately my uncle is a very stubborn person and has seen no reason to change from the Post Office payment method despite repeated family requests for him to do so. This has been compounded by his unanticipated hospital stay and it has been left to me to try to make sense of his rather chaotic system of bill payments whilst he is indisposed.

The idea of a second card/PIN seems the most realistic option short term, so I will try that route to start off with.

Thanks again.

dzug1

In reality you would get away with using his card/PIN, though it's not 'legal'. The card is used to pay other benefits as well as pensions so your age would not be a giveaway. I very much doubt if any PO clerk would even think of querying it. I believe it's usable in some PO cash machines as well.

And when you get the second card on the account it will be indistinguishable from his apart from the number - they don't have names on. And the clerk doesn't see the card anyway - it stays the customer side of the counter.

But to be legal, get the second card anyway - it doesn't take very long. You'll need to fill in the form, (Permanent Agent form is the official name) both of you need to sign it and take it to the PO with your ID. Then a little later - about a week from memory - you'll get a letter inviting you to pick it up at the PO and a separate letter with a PIN

His card will remain usable, with its original PIN, even after you have the agent card.

anmarj

whether or not you can use his card, would be down to the post office, if they know him well enough they could in theroy stop the transaction cause they will know the customer, get the form but speak to the staff and see what they say, they may as a one off allow you to draw some money using his card

Whiteknight

How will the post office know that you are not the owner of the POCA, I've know elderly people give the cards and pin numbers to friends etc to go off to collect pensions and other benefits.

Apricot

I have withdrawn money from my bfs Post Office account with no problem. The staff don't know me and it's pretty obvious Im not a man but he just gave me his card and pin and I went in to withdraw it.

dzug1

princessleah_ wrote: »

I have withdrawn money from my bfs Post Office account with no problem. The staff don't know me and it's pretty obvious Im not a man but he just gave me his card and pin and I went in to withdraw it.

The card gives no indication of sex - it doesn't (apart from the redundant signature strip on the back) even include the owner's name. And the staff in normal circumstances never handle the card.

BillTrac

princessleah_ wrote: »

I have withdrawn money from my bfs Post Office account with no problem. The staff don't know me and it's pretty obvious Im not a man but he just gave me his card and pin and I went in to withdraw it.

exactly, I draw money out for mum regularly. Sometimes up to the limit of £600 a time. They never, ever question it and I use 3 or 4 different POs. Probably kyeboshed it now though...:rotfl: