Appointeeship services for vulnerable adults

A Deputy is put in place by the Court of Protection and manages all of a person’s financial affairs if they become incapable of doing so themselves — savings, pensions, income, property and valuables. The exact level of authority depends on the individual court order granted.

A Deputy is supervised by the Office of the Public Guardian (OPG), whilst appointees are regulated by the DWP. An Appointee acts in the individual’s best interest by managing their welfare benefits so everyday bills are paid, and reporting changes to the DWP. An appointee therefore has a much smaller legal authority — restricted to welfare benefit payments.

The primary power for appointeeship is in the Social Security Administration Act 1992, section 5, which underpins how appointees are legally and procedurally administered. Regulation 33 of the Social Security Claims and Payments Regulations 1987 covers older, legacy benefits; for new-style benefits (ESA, JSA, PIP and Universal Credit) it is regulation 57 of the Claims and Payments Regulations 2013.

Appointeeship is not governed by the Mental Capacity Act 2005 — deliberately, so the DWP retains control of the process — though the Act’s five underpinning principles are built in. For more, download our appointee guide for family members.

If a person is living in supported housing, a care or nursing home, receiving welfare benefits and a social-care package, and is incapable of managing their own finances, they may need a corporate appointee to manage their welfare benefit payments and legal responsibilities.

A Corporate Appointee is an organisation — such as The Money Carer Foundation — authorised by the DWP to manage a vulnerable person’s benefits, acting in their best interest and free from any conflict of interest. This is usually appropriate when no suitable relatives or close friends can be approached.