Cashpot at care home

mills112

My brother is in a care home for the mentality ill.

He keeps throwing his debit card away so we need to set up a cashpot at the care home for him to access his money.

The care home has sent me an agreement on how the cashpot should operate. I have access to my brother's bank account as I manage his finances. So I will send money to the cashpot from his bank account as he can't take the money out with the debit card anymore. When he is well again, he can go back to using the debit card.

The agreement states that the cashpot minimum balance will be £60. This is fine, except I feel there needs to be some safeguard against me forever having to top up this balance because my brother or persons unknown keeps taking money out of the cashpot. There are safeguards put in place so that money can't be stolen from the cashpot, but safeguards aren't always secure.

Is there is a better way to deal with this balance or certain wording added to stop this happening?

elsien

I’m not entirely sure what extra safeguards or wording you have in mind.

If the money is used in the care home, for example for activities, they would have to record that. If your brother is able to go out and about on his own, there’s a little they can do about what he’s spending it on during that time and that’s not a bad thing for people to maintain some independence.

If staff go with him, you could ask for the receipts to be kept for you to check?

The safeguards are usually in place – it’s not likely that all and sundry have access to the cash pot. If you’re unsure, maybe you need to doublecheck with them how it is going to work for your brother?

I work with a gentleman with a similar system, where the care home keep most of the money for him with an agreed budget for certain things for example his cigarettes, or days out, but he gets £5 a day to go out and spend on the things that are important to him. Which for him is gambling, food and the charity shop. Which could be considered a waste of money by some but it is affordable, makes him happy, is the lesser restrictive option, and maintain some independence skills.

mills112

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/comment/81981672#Comment_81981672

i pay for everything from his bank. the debit card he had was to take money out and spend on whatever he wants, with a daily limit.

the cashpot is similar. it is only money for him to take out, like the ATM machine. my concern is that someone may keep taking it out and i am forever having to top it up. i could put a limit top up of £60 a day but i don't want to encourage anyone to take out £60 every day. my brother would take out £60 from the ATM and when he has used it up, he would go and get another £60. that is where the minimum limit has come from.

in reality he doesn't spend £60 a day but he can if he needs to. i wonder if i could put this daily withdrawal limit on the cashpot?

elsien

if he’s lacking capacity around his money at the moment, then you could ask the care home to put a limit on withdrawal in his best interest? And if that budget wasn’t working for him for any reason, you, he and they could get together to have more of a discussion about whether it needed to be amended or not.

mills112

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/comment/81981722#Comment_81981722

i suppose i need to trust the care home not to allow the money to be stolen or used inappropriately. they will let him take the money out and will ask for receipts where reasonable. if the money keeps going out daily without an explanation of where it is being spent, then i could always ask for a review i suppose.

the agreement is to be reviewed every 6 months.

itsthelittlethings

If his money is being controlled in this way I would have thought there should be a social worker or similar involved to advise in the best way to set it up to give your brother the maximum freedom possible with the minimum possibility for abuse.

elsien

If the OP has LPA or financial deputyship the presumption is that they are already acting in best interests unless there are any concerns otherwise. Ongoing longer term social work input is a thing of the past.

mills112, the 6 months is probably the longest they want it to go without any checks. No reason why you couldn't request an earlier review if necessary.

itsthelittlethings

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/comment/81981986#Comment_81981986

If he's in a care home I would think there would be ongoing LA involvement. They might be able to advise.

elsien

The OPs brother may be on 117 aftercare which is health funded.

And if there is still local authority involvement people do not have ongoing allocated social workers. They get an annual review and then they are deallocated but open to duty if something changes. A question about a budget is not going to be a priority when there is a waiting list of a couple of months for people awaiting assessment and support in the first place.

itsthelittlethings

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/comment/81982073#Comment_81982073

When I last knew more about this, about 4 years ago, yes budgets were stretched but everyone in a mental health supported living would have had a qualified worker who they saw regularly. This was the same for people who were funded by 117 aftercare.