Changing appointees

HumbleRaisin

Hi All,

So my sister has my dad as an appointee. However, he has motor neurone disease and it's really rapidly progressing and he's more and more unable to continue on as appointee.

It has gotten to the point now while he's active appointee... I somehow have to get benefits to accept me updating her address etc.

The plan always was I would eventually take over as appointee however its now become neccessary sooner rather than later.

I got given advice from a social worker however, to just fill in the form and send a letter on dads behalf sounds wrong after looking at the sites and googling and now I'm more stressed than ever as this means my dad is going to have to put up with 2 DWP visits by the sounds of what I've read (as i live with him to support him).

But honestly, the advice i was given and what I've read has all completely confused me and I'm more stressed out than ever.

This all sounds so rambly so I guess I just need to know:

What would the process be with getting them to change it from dad to me?
How do we start this process?
Would I need to contact every single one of my sisters benefits or can it be a tell one and they tell eachother?
and would be being an appointee mess up my own benefits that I recieve?

I'm in the process of trying to get information about my sisters finances from her carers so I know what she's claiming exactly but honestly my heads in a spin.

Also, WOULD the benefits places in the meantime accept me telling them my sisters address update given dads health deterioration? Is it just a case of i can get them to ask dad a question with a yes/no answer of if he consents to me telling them for the time being?

I'm so lost, so stressed. Thanks in adavance for any advice you all give

poppy123456

Your dad will need to contact each of the benefits departments to tell them that he longer wants to be her appointee and that you would like to take over. 

The very least they may need to do is visit you at your home to set everything up. The only issue that may happen is her benefits maybe suspended whilst this is sorted. See link https://www.scope.org.uk/advice-and-support/removing-an-appointee/#:~:text=Your%20appointee%20should%20let%20the,for%20them%20to%20be%20removed.

HumbleRaisin

Hi Poppy, the main issue is my dad is now struggling to speak with his condition so I don't know if there's any other way to do so unless they'd accept speaking to me and like i said about the urgent change of address stuff asking dad a yes/no question about him wanting to change this information?

Its a really tough situation to be in as the social worker made it sound like oh I just get the form she sent me (after being advised by the financial team), fill that and send a letter from dad... but looking it up apparently that form is to be filled in with the DWP person when they come down?

I'm sorry if it sounds like I'm not listening I am, its just the situation is a little trickier than just dad phoning and saying all that as he doesn't really have much abilility to do that now.

also, do you think they'd accept this urgent (like she's moving in the morning her SW thought to ask us to do this now) change of address things with her benefits info coming from me, if i can get them to ask dad a one word answer question of whether he consents to me giving the info on his behalf? I guess same kinda deal as with him having to tell them he wishes to change from him to me as appointee... but do you think thats possible given the circumstances?

HumbleRaisin

The only saving grace for my sister its not that she'd be without for long as it would literally go from dad to me, all within family and both of us are willing for the change so hopefully that doesn't disrupt her benefits for very long seeing as we'd rather a transfer than a he quits/just isn't suitable.

poppy123456

It won't be as simple as you just returning a form to them to set you up as an appointee. The most difficult part right now is removing your dad because you can't be her appointee until he's been removed.

The standard procedure to set up an appointee is for a DWP representative to visit your home. Which benefits exactly does she claim? If one of them is Universal Credit then the procedure would be alot less complicated. If it's ESA or PIP then not as straight forward.

HumbleRaisin

I believe its Pip UC and maybe ESA? Either housing element of UC or housing benefit too her SW really confused me on that one. I'm hoping her carers can confirm exactly what she's getting and where the money goes etc when they ring me in the morning as dad said to ask them.

I'm hoping that since i have to (once they tell me what benefits) ring all of them and update her address asap if they can agree to me speaking on dads behalf (with dads consent a 1 word answer question hopefully as he hasn't got the strength to to a full on conversation) then I can at the same time discuss dad being removed and me put in place instead because of his MND to get that ball rolling quickly. (only upside is, if they need to see him about why hes coming off AND interview me... hopefully they can do that same day since its same address)

Again i'm not 100% sure as the SW said I need to call UC and HB about her address and confirm how thats paid and... as someone whos had housing element I know its not both at the same time... its one or the other so yeah.

its a whole mess thats been thrust upon me in an urgent moment of needing to update her details and now realising that this could mess my sister over with her money for her care/housing/everything for a bit. praying her carers are more help with knowing what she gets and who I need to inform ASAP.

Thanks for trying to help me understand / work this out

poppy123456

It could be either and/or both ESA and UC. If it's UC then it will be housing element, unless she's living in either supported or temporary housing, then it would be housing benefit, even if she's claiming UC.

If it's UC and there's access to a journal then you can put a message on there to ask if it's possible to change her appointee.

If it's ESA then they will need to be contacted. You don't mention any disability benefit such as PIP or DLA, if she's claiming either of those then they will also need to be contacted separatetly.

For housing benefit then i'm not familiar with appointees for that but you can contact them also.

Another thought, as your dad is her appointee now, aren't her benefits paid into his bank account? Usually when you have an appointee, the appointee receives the benefit money on behalf of the claimant. If he does are you able to check his bank account to see what she's claiming? It will have the name of the benefit next to the payment, so PIP, DLA, UC, EESA etc etc.

HumbleRaisin

I think its PIP I believe she got moved from the legacy one.

I think an account was set up for her as her carers bring her over with pocket money when she comes to stay/visit my parents. Hopefully those carers will have full details for me when they ring me back in regards to that. I'd also assume that as dad has his own benefit payments too because of his own conditions.

The contacts are great to know thankyou. She is in an assisted living accommodation so I guess it would be housing benefit and thats going to be the council. Unsure why the SW cant do much about that one thing herself as she's involved in the care and part of the council herself.. but that's fine.

I explained to dad the situation with the apointee changeover and he's even stated himself he cannot have the conversation with them as its too much for him. (obviously in less words. His reaction showed everything) So I'm hoping they'll accept me speaking on his behalf if they take a simple yes/no answer if i can get them to ask for his consent for that.

There is the concern of her being without money and however long that would take. Hopefully because its from one family member to another it shouldn't take too long or mess her around because she needs this money for her accommodation, carre and other things as like stated before she lives in her supported accom.

Thanks again

poppy123456

Please don’t assume that because your dad claims benefits himself that her benefits are not paid to him. Many people claim benefits and are appointees, myself included. My daughter’s benefits are paid into my bank. I then give her money to her and make sure she pays her bills. 

Housing benefit shouldn’t be an issue and should be straight forward. 

PIP is a disability benefit that replaced DLA. There’s no legacy disability benefit. 

Hopefully it won’t be too difficult but not everything is that simple with DWP and changing or removing an appointee is one of them.