Appointee abuse

sclarence7788

hello I’m not sure this is the right place to post this but lately I’m having some concerns! My girlfriend of 13 years has been living staying with me for past few years but only going home a day or 2 a month. IShe’s currently on esa support group which she receives in her own bank account. But iv found out some worrying information that her mother might actually be down as her career and also her appointee for her pip. Reason im concerned is because I assumed she would get severe disability premium and she hasn’t been. I know that her mother in past was getting her pip into her bank account and was rumours she was my girlfriends appointee! But the mother Denys this now. She claims she is the appointee but doesn’t get pip or carers for my girlfriend. My girlfriend is 29 and is capable of managing her own benefits hence the fact she gets esa in her own bank, I’m so confused because she can’t even phone esa to swap to a new bank or to apply for budget loans and it’s ruining our relationship this because she can’t even claim housing benifet as she is classed as living with her mother when her mum doesn’t even have a room for her there. I don’t no what to do now and my girlfriend is petrified of her mother. I want my girlfriend to be happy to claim her own benifets and hopefully start a family. She’s lost so much weight with stress I’m worried she might be hospitalised. She’s epileptic also! Long story short her mother is her appointee she’s keeping her pip and getting carers allowance even tho my girlfriend lives with me and the mother is denying it! She is basically using it as her own! I don’t want to get the mother in to trouble but I just want it all to stop because it’s wrong, and my girlfriend is my main concern. Can anyone help me? How do I stop this , my girlfriend doesn’t want her mum to get in bother obviously but my girlfriend is also happy to let it go and let her mum spend it all for an easy life because she is afraid and doesn’t want the hassle! My girlfriend is a victim of financial abuse! Please help me … I do believe my girlfriend gets pip but there is no way for her to find out or me as they only give that information to the appointee her mother. Really need help

poppy123456

For the SDP you must be living alone or treated as living alone. No one must be claiming carers allowance or carers element of Universal Credit for looking after you.

If you are living together has she contacted ESA to report those changes? Income Related ESA is a means tested benefit so entitlement would be based on your joint circumstances. Are you claiming any benefits yourself or working?

For the PIP she can contact them and tell them that her mother isn’t using the money in her best interests. Although it isn’t going to be easy to remove the appointee if she does claim PIP. There’s some information here https://www.scope.org.uk/advice-and-support/removing-an-appointee?gad_source=1&gbraid=0AAAAADrhH8HtDmfWKgiM-zxMDoxyvYCIa&gclid=CjwKCAjwk8e1BhALEiwAc8MHiGTM-i4JPjVKH_6JYdtNF34AsGVBKJbt001wgcXlqT3LQ6x6sdZJ9BoC0JQQAvD_BwE

sclarence7788

she cannot contact esa or anyone because her mother is he appointee and her mother classes her as living there! That is her address technically but she might as well be living here! I basically want advice on what do do because her mother is her appointee and denying that she gets carers for her and denying that she manages her pip and I just want to how can I find out if she is getting my girlfriends pip and misusing it

sclarence7788

basically her mother is saying my girlfriend doesn’t receive pip when I know they are I even seen a car and on the manual book it had my girlfriends name yet she doesn’t no anything about it and she says she isn’t claiming carers allowance but yet her mum is panicking cause my girlfriend is down at mine nearly full time. Something fishy

poppy123456

You said she receives her ESA in her own bank account which indicates her mother isn’t her appointee for this. If she was then that money would also be going into her mother’s bank account. This means that she can contact ESA herself.
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For the PIP please see the link I posted above and it advises what to do in this situation.