What legal duties does an appointee have?

The legal duties that an appointee must fulfil are primarily that of managing benefits, and day-to-day spending. Resulting from this, there are numerous tasks they must carry out to sufficiently safeguard vulnerable clients and their finances:

1. Reporting Circumstantial Changes

As certain changes can impact benefit entitlement, it is crucial that appointees report these at the earliest possible convenience. The key changes that this most commonly applies to are:

a) savings and capital

b) living arrangements

c) health conditions/disabilities

d) employment and income

2. Corresponding With Support Networks

In order to efficiently manage a vulnerable person’s finances, appointees must maintain transparent communication with all involved parties. This includes care providers, families, and social workers, for example.

By doing this, support networks can highlight any key updates that appointees may not have been aware of, and vice-versa.

3. Monitor And Allocate Funds

Fundamentally, appointeeship is a money management service, requiring financial oversight to ensure funds are safeguarded, and avoid debts from building up. On the other hand, insufficient spending can also impact how benefits are paid.

Means-tested benefits, especially, are reduced for those with savings above £6000, and stopped completely for those with savings above £16,000. Paying close attention to how funds are being spent, as well as any payments that can be disregarded in this sense (such as a large benefit back-payment), can help to ensure individuals receive the support they need.

4. Prioritise Best Interests

As appointees legally represent vulnerable individuals, they are responsible for making decisions that best reflect a client’s needs and wishes. By doing this, appointees can ensure they are not posing a risk to the person, while also aiming to elevate their financial independence.

To find out more about efficiently handling a person’s best interests, click here.

To note – appointees do not have the authority to deal directly with additional capital belonging to a client (such as private bank accounts/pensions). However, they are authorised to deal with Post Office Accounts. These are older, alternative accounts to high-street banks that were designed specifically with benefit recipients in mind.

For further information or guidance about appointeeship, you can contact us – or download our appointeeship guide.