Deputyship and Financial Affairs

The role of an appointee

An appointee is a person appointed by the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) to be responsible for making and maintaining any benefit claims on behalf of a person who cannot do so because they either lack capacity or their physical disability prevents them from being able to do so.

The appointee role involves:

1. Claiming all DWP benefits that the person may be entitled to;
2. Collecting all benefits into a designated account;
3. Reporting changes in circumstances; and
4. Managing and spending benefits in the Best Interests of a person who lacks capacity.

Establishing if there is an Appointee

The Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) write to somebody when they become an appointee, and an appointee should be able to show you this letter (form BF57) as evidence that they have the authority to act. If this is not available they should be able to contact the DWP by telephone and ask them to confirm this verbally.

The role of a Deputy

When a person lacks capacity to make decisions for themselves, a Deputy is a person or organisation appointed by the Court of Protection to:

1. Make general or specific decisions as set out by the Court; and
2. Take steps to implement those decisions.

There are 2 types of Deputy:

1. Property and Affairs; and
2. Health and Welfare.

Note: This procedure relates only to Property and Affairs Deputies. For applications relating to Health and Welfare you should refer to the Court of Protection section of the Mental Capacity Act 2005 Resource and Practice Toolkit.

Some examples of things that a Property and Affairs Deputy can be authorised to do as part of their role include, but are not limited to:

1. Managing money;
2. Claiming benefits and pension;
3. Managing bank accounts and utilities;
4. Managing debt;
5. Buying and selling property (a further order must be sought to sell a property);
6. Holding a tenancy;
7. Management of property (e.g. carrying out maintenance work).

A Deputy has a legal requirement to act on matters they have been given the authority to act upon unless the Court of Protection has given them permission to delegate this to someone else, or where there are 2 Deputies able to make the decision and authorised to do so severally (independently of each other).

For further information, see Deputies in the Mental Capacity Act 2005 Resource and Practice Toolkit.

The role of a Donee of a Lasting Power of Attorney

A Power of Attorney is somebody appointed by a person with capacity to;

1. Make general or specific decisions as set out by the person; and
2. Take steps to implement those decisions; when
3. The person lacks capacity to make that decision for themselves (see note below).

Note: A Lasting Power of Attorney for Property and Affairs can also be used to help the person manage their finances before they lack capacity, as long as it has been registered with the Office of the Public Guardian. 

A Donee of a Lasting Power of Attorney has a legal requirement to act on matters they have been given the authority to act upon, and cannot delegate this to anyone else. The only exception to this is where there are multiple Donees and the Lasting Power of Attorney authorises them to make decisions severally (independently of each other).

Establishing if there is a Deputy or Donee of a Lasting Power of Attorney

Sometimes there will be evidence already recorded on Local Authority systems that confirms there is a Deputy or Donee of a Lasting Power of Attorney.

In all other cases, the sealed Lasting Power of Attorney or Court Order should be requested as evidence.

If this cannot be provided you should complete form OPG100 to request confirmation of the person’s legal status from the Office of the Public Guardian.

Once you have established there is a Deputy or a Donee of a Lasting Power of Attorney you must be satisfied that they are authorised to provide the support that the person needs with their property and affairs at that time. This information will be set out in the Lasting Power of Attorney or Court Order. If you are unsure of the authority given, seek legal advice.

If they are authorised to make the decision that needs to be made, the Donee of a Lasting Power of Attorney or Deputy  should make arrangements do so (unless, in the case of Deputies only the Court of Protection has given them permission to delegate this to someone else).

If there is a Deputy or Donee of a Lasting Power of Attorney but they are not authorised to act on the matter in hand see Section 5, Exploring all Available Options.

In all cases where the level of risk to the person, their property or financial affairs warrants it a safeguarding concern should be raised.

Unless the appointee intends to relinquish the appointeeship you should, wherever practicable try to support them to meet the requirements of the role before taking any other action.

If it is not appropriate to provide support (or if the provision of support has not enabled the appointee to meet the requirements of the role) you should speak with your line manager about whether a Deputyship application may be appropriate.

If you have any of the following concerns about a Deputy you must raise this with your line manager, and steps should be taken to notify the Office of the Public Guardian (OPG);

1. Declining to act when they have the authority to do so;
2. Asking another person to act on their behalf (unless this other person is a jointly appointed Deputy with the authority to make decisions severally); or
3. Making a decision that is not in line with the Court Order or the principles of the Mental Capacity Act 2005.

The OPG will investigate the concerns and determine whether the Deputyship should be revoked.

If an urgent decision is needed about the matter in hand, legal advice should be sought about the need to take the matter to the Court of Protection for a one-off determination.

Note: A Deputy can make a decision that you do not agree with so long as they are acting within the authority of the Court Order and have applied all of the 5 statutory principles of the Mental Capacity Act 2005, including the Best Interests principle.

If you have any of the following concerns about a Donee of a Lasting Power of Attorney you must raise this with your line manager, and steps should be taken to notify the Office of the Public Guardian;

1. Declining to act when they have the authority to do so;
2. Asking another person to act on their behalf (unless this other person is a jointly appointed Donee with the authority to make decisions severally); or
3. Making a decision that is not in line with the principles of the Mental Capacity Act 2005.

The OPG will investigate the concerns and determine whether the Lasting Power of Attorney should be revoked.

If the person lacks capacity and an urgent decision is needed about the matter in hand, legal advice should be sought about the need to take the matter to the Court of Protection for a one-off determination.

Note: If the person about whom the decision relates still has mental capacity, they may choose to revoke the Lasting Power of Attorney and are permitted to do at any time.

If there is already a Deputy for Property and Affairs but they are not authorised to act on the matter in hand you should discuss whether they are able to approach the Court of Protection to seek an addition to the original order of authority that was made.

If the Deputy declines to approach the Court, you should raise this with your line manager and take steps to notify the Office of the Public Guardian (OPG). The OPG will investigate the concerns and determine whether the Deputyship should be revoked.

The Local Authority can only make a Deputyship application if the existing Deputyship is revoked. However, if an urgent decision is needed about the matter in hand, legal advice should be sought about the need to take the matter to the Court of Protection for a one-off determination.

If the person has capacity

If there is a Donee of a Lasting Power of Attorney but they are not authorised to act on the matter in hand, they should speak with the person to see if they are willing to extend the remit of the Lasting Power of Attorney to include the current matter.

As the person has capacity, this is their choice.

If the person lacks capacity

If the person lacks capacity and there is a Donee of a Lasting Power of Attorney but they are not authorised to act on the matter in hand, discuss with the Donee whether they are able to apply to the Court of Protection for the Lasting Power of Attorney to be revoked and a Deputyship granted.

If the Donee declines to approach the Court, you should raise this with your line manager and take steps to notify the Office of the Public Guardian (OPG). The OPG will investigate the concerns and determine whether the Lasting Power of Attorney should be revoked.

The Local Authority can only make a Deputyship application if the existing Lasting Power of Attorney is revoked. However, if an urgent decision is needed about the matter in hand, legal advice should be sought about the need to take the matter to the Court of Protection for a one-off determination.

You should discuss with an existing appointee whether they are able to make an application to the Court of Protection for Deputyship when:

1. The person lacks capacity; and
2. The nature of the support they need falls outside the remit of the appointee role.

Step 1

Explore whether there are any family members or friends who may be able to apply to act.

Step 2

If so, discuss this possibility with them and establish if they are able to do so. During any discussion you should provide good information about the relevant role. This is set out in section 3 above and the person can also look at the government website.

If not, in the case of Deputyship only consider whether there is a Solicitor involved with the person or their family who may be appropriate to act and if so, approach them.

Step 3

If they need or request it, allow the family member or friend some time to think things over or access independent advice before making a decision.

Step 4

If they decide to proceed, consider any support they may need to make the application. For example, this could be provided by an advocate or voluntary organisation. Do not close the case until you know the outcome of their application and are satisfied that the person's finances are safeguarded.

If they decide not to proceed find out why, and explore whether there are any barriers that can be overcome. For example they may not have understood the role and further information could assist, or they may find the process of applying daunting.

Property and Affairs Deputyship applications should be made in line with local processes and requirements.

You will normally be asked to complete the following forms to support the application:

1. COP1; and
2. COP1A; and
3. COP3.

In certain circumstances, a witness statement may also be required. This should be completed using COP24.

COP3

If you have been requested to arrange for a medical practitioner to complete COP3 you should take steps to do so, using available local processes.

In all other cases you should complete the COP3 using the information from the mental capacity assessment that determined that the person lacked capacity in relation to property or affairs.

The COP3 must be a signed paper original.  The Court of Protection does not accept copies or digital signatures.

In addition to the COP1, COP1a and the COP3 you should provide copies of any additional relevant evidence, for example:

1. A needs assessment;
2. An OPG100 response from the Office of the Public Guardian;
3. Details of any person currently supporting the person with their finances, and why they are not making the necessary application.

You should only:

1. Submit evidence prepared by yourself, or the Local Authority; unless
2. The relevant organisation or person has given consent for it to be shared (for example the ICB).

You may also be required to attend the Court of Protection if there is an objection to the application and the Court orders that an attended hearing takes place.

Notifying the person the application is about (P) 

After the application is issued, the Court requires that the person the application is about (P) is served formal notification. If you are asked to serve this formal notice, this should be done using form COP14PADep.

Notifying interested parties

After the application is issued, the Court requires that a minimum of three interested parties are served formal notice of the application as respondents. This could be the person's family member, friend, advocate, GP etc. It is important that you identify those people and that their contact details and relationship to the person are included in the application form. If you are asked to serve this formal notice, this should be done using form COP15PADep.

At the point that the Court Order is made you can proceed to close the case, unless you need to monitor things or undertake any other Care and Support function.

You must ensure that before closing the case the right support is in place on the Care and Support Plan to enable the person to manage and use any payments they will be receiving safely. Wherever possible support should be:

1. Provided from the person's informal networks of support; or
2. As part of an existing package of support; and
3. Focus on building the person's skills and ability to manage the monies independently in the future.

If the Court of Protection declines the application you must take steps to support the person to access the support they require through other means.

Social work practitioners should review the on-going need for Deputyship at the same time as any statutory Care and Support Plan review, or whenever there is evidence to suggest that alternative arrangements may be more appropriate.

Some key questions to ask include:

1. Are the arrangements working from the person's perspective?
2. Have there been any changes to the person's circumstances that might affect their benefits? (see below)
3. Have there been any changes in the person's capacity/ability to manage their own money?
4. Is there another person who would be more appropriate to act?
5. If the person receives support to manage cash is the current level of support being provided still the least restrictive?
6. Is the person being supported to make their own decisions and choices about spending their money, wherever this is possible?
7. If the person receives cash is this being used appropriately?
8. Are there any new risks to mitigate?
9. Is Deputyship still required?

The Local Authority is required to report any changes in the person's circumstances that could have an impact on their:

1. Rate of benefit; or
2. Overall entitlement to a benefit.

Changes in circumstances include:

1. The accumulation of funds above permitted thresholds;
2. Changes in illness or disability;
3. Changes in mental capacity;
4. Change in address;
5. Change in marital status;
6. Change in income.

If the review indicates a change in circumstances you should:

1. Notify the team managing the Deputyship as soon as possible after becoming aware; and
2. Provide them with any evidence to support this (having regard for confidentiality).