Elderly parent and bank account

Beenie

The situation in brief: my mother is living alone in another part of the country. She has dementia. Carers have started to come in three times a day to deal with food and medication. There is a safe where I left some cash, and they draw on this for bread, milk etc.

We thought that mother had a contactless credit card, which would be used when the cash ran out, but when the carers tried to use it, it didn't work. They are asking me to deal with the bank on her behalf. The problem is that banks are quite properly safeguarding their elderly customers, and so I think they won't deal with me, and her dementia means that Power of Attorney is not possible.

What do I need to do to activate her card or get a replacement? It would also help if her bills could be paid by direct debit, but again, how can I get her bank to do this? Will the bank send documents/forms for signature to my address or must they go to the customer?

Mother throws things away that she doesn't understand. As an example, I arranged for a replacement bus pass for her but there is no sign of either a bus pass or an application form in her house, and she doesn't remember me even taking her to the council offices where this was discussed. I fear that anything sent to her address by the bank will disappear in the same way.

Zanderman

Beenie wrote: »

We thought that mother had a contactless credit card, which would be used when the cash ran out, but when the carers tried to use it, it didn't work. They are asking me to deal with the bank on her behalf. The problem is that banks are quite properly safeguarding their elderly customers, and so I think they won't deal with me, and her dementia means that Power of Attorney is not possible.

What do I need to do to activate her card or get a replacement? It would also help if her bills could be paid by direct debit, but again, how can I get her bank to do this? Will the bank send documents/forms for signature to my address or must they go to the customer?

What do you need? Power of Attorney.

You can't do anything to get a new card, arrange DDs or change address without it.

Only your mother can.

If the dementia means PoA is difficult you'll have to get it via whatever the legal process is, I forget the details, but I'd start now!

Edited to add: Some details about options here: https://www.aprilking.co.uk/2016/08/16/power-of-attorney-dementia/ which suggest, if dementia is advanced, you'll need to go for a Deputyship Order through Court of Protection https://www.aprilking.co.uk/deputyship-orders/

Robin9

Is the contactless card not working just a case of using it with a PIN first?

Beenie

Robin, I suspect you are correct. But PINs arrive on a separate post from the card, and mother will have thrown the letter (and PIN) away. When once at the bank together, the clerk asked her for her PIN and she looked blank. She teally isn't with it these days.

As for PoA, I would risk going to the trouble and expense of a solicitor's appointment, but I know from experience that mother will sit there and ask "where are we" "what are we doing here" and "who's that man" every 20 seconds.

Will a solicitor overlook this obvious dementia and surge on with the PoA business in hand?

EssexExile

Beenie wrote: »

Will a solicitor overlook this obvious dementia and surge on with the PoA business in hand?

No a solicitor will not overlook this obvious dementia but there are routes to a power of attorney in this situation, although it's more complicated. Read up about it or speak to a solicitor.

alanq

If mother has insufficient capacity to agree to a Power Of Attorney you will have to apply to the Court Of Protection to become a Deputy.

https://www.ageuk.org.uk/information-advice/money-legal/legal-issues/power-of-attorney/what-happens-if-you-dont-have-a-power-of-attorney/

Zanderman

Beenie wrote: »

Will a solicitor overlook this obvious dementia and surge on with the PoA business in hand?

No, obviously not. The links I gave in post #2 (plus alanq's post above) give information on what you need to do.

You need to read this up and get the process going. Asap by the sound of it!

xylophone

https://www.gov.uk/become-deputy

And is it time to consider residential care for your mother?

durhamviper

Beenie wrote: »

It would also help if her bills could be paid by direct debit, but again, how can I get her bank to do this? Will the bank send documents/forms for signature to my address or must they go to the customer?

The bank has nothing to do with paying bills by direct debit. You will have to contact each relevant supplier and arrange to pay via direct debit

Robin9

Beenie - you need to take control of your mothers affairs.

Presumably her Council Tax is already by DD (and she has the 25% - I assume she is a widow)

as is water

What about electrics, gas, telephone . You can do all these online

Insurance

Beenie

My mother is in receipt of pension and housing benefit. She lives in rented accommodation. Her council tax is paid in full by the Benefits Agency hor whatever they are called these days). She can't go into a care home because she says she doesn't want to - and a persons wishes no matter how unhelpful must be taken into account (so I am told by social services).


What I need is someone who works in a bank, who has observed a similar situation, and can advise how we help a demented widow like this. She has money, paid into her bank account regularly by the state, but she can't access it, neither can her council carers and neither can I as her daughter. That is the problem, and that's where I need advice as a close relative but someone without PoA.