Yes, but possibly with some difficulty.

The reality is that it can be quite difficult for a DWP appointee to open a bank account with a high-street bank.

This is because an appointee does not have the same level of authority that a court of protection deputy or lasting power of attorney has. Although some banks do offer a very basic bank account for DWP appointees the process of opening an account can be long-winded and quite involved.

Some bank accounts that are available to appointees also have restrictions such as balance limitations as low as £3000 in some cases. This means that for many appointees, these restrictions don’t make the bank account practical or fit for purpose.

If you are an appointee or deputy for a loved one, you can open an FSCS-protected bank account easily on our banking platform in the same way that many solicitors and local authorities do. Just contact us and our banking services team will be happy to help.