appointee for esa

heron

hello all.  I have a daughter with aspergers syndrome. She does have mental capacity but cannot deal with benefits bills or banking so i am her appointee for her benefits esa and pip. I have been her appointee for quite afew years now. I didnt get much help and didnt really know what to do when i took this on. .I read I had to have the benefits paid to me as i was her appointee. So I opened a bank account which was  in my name only for her benefits to be paid into.I have about £10,000 in this account now in my name.But the money belongs to my daughter. I dont know what i should be doing about this.So any advice and i would be so grateful.
  Also i am quite worried about what happens when i am old or not here any more as she will have no one to help her or have any where to live.Is there supported living or something out there with local authority for people with aspergers 

janer1967

Hi there 

If you have this amount in her account it could affect her claim for esa depends what esa she claims ? 

There are supported living facilities I suggest you contact adult social services to discuss

calcotti

When you say you don’t know what you should be doing about this I am not clear exactly what you are asking.

The account should be used only for your daughter’s money. The benefits are paid into it and you can use these moneys on behalf of your daughter.

As janer says, once there is more than £6000 in the account this would affect means tested benefits and would need to be reported to HMRC so that the relevant benefit payable amounts can be amended.

heron

I know the account should just be used for my daughters money and the money spent on my daughters behalf.I am worried about all my daughters money been in a bank account that is in  my name only. What if something happens to me she wont have accesss to her money.
Do i need to help her open a savings account in her name to transfer the money into .Or is there something else i could do.
Also is it ok to use some of her pip money to pay for a day service for her to attend . I found one that she enjoys

janer1967

You can use her pip money for anything related to her there are no rules on what the money is spent on 

The main concern is the amount she has as this is over the amount allowed as explained above and could effect her benefits 

As for an account in her name you could transfer some money from main account in your name but would your daughter know how to access the account and mange it 

You have lots to consider regarding your daughters future not only her banking but her care , housing etc so do as much research as you can