Please can I have some advice regarding POA and banks?

[Amber_31]

It took me several months to post off my mum's signed power of attorney forms, then we waited for it to come through which it did. We started paying for my mum to have a carer two days a week in December, and I used my husband's credit card to pay the agency, as I just had a belief that I could get the money out of my mum's account to pay back my husband once the power of attorney was all sorted out.
My husband has harassed me for months to do it, but I was too busy! I have now cancelled the credit card payment to the care agency and I am (1) trying to work out how to pay using my mum's money, and, (2) trying to figure out how to refund my husband the £2k he has spent so far on my mother's care.
Before anyone thinks I am utterly stupid here, for the obvious laziness, I have found dementia such a crushing debilitating force on my life, I bury my head in the sand regarding many administrative issues and I'm extremely depressed I can't think straight on most topics.
My mum's bank is F**** D***** subsidiary of H****. So no branch I can walk into for help. I know her online banking details but I have never used it myself - I take it I can't just use it now, notwithstanding I have POA? How simple if I could. I've tried looking online what to do but I can't find it anywhere. What are my first steps to being allowed to access my mum's money to pay for the carer, and will I be able to give my husband the refund? Also, will I be able to use my mum's money to pay myself back for the POA fees x2, and the chiropody fees for her I've paid over the past six months?
Please help! I am just about to submit my own credit card details into the agency website to pay for the carer, but surely this isn't right.

 

[Beate]

I am not sure but as First Direct has a connection to HSBC, you should be able to make an appointment in a branch to register the LPA with them. They ought to have an LPA team telling you what they need to see. In my case (different bank) I had to bring the LPA, and some form of ID. The lady took a copy of the LPA and they sent me a chequebook plus a debit card saying POA MY NAME on it, and that was that. I already had all the internet banking details so could seamlessly use them, but they would have helped me with that if not. I found it a lot less stressful than I thought, and the bank lady was very helpful. So ring them to find out how to register the LPA with them, and then you're good to go and can reimburse yourself and hubby for all previous expenses and arrange for all future expenses to be paid from her account.

 

[Amethyst59]

When I make any big payments from my husbands money I keep a note of date and details just in case I ever have to account for what I spend. I know some people keep very concise details of every transaction. I just use an ordinary note book.

 

[Amber_31]

Thank-you so much for your positive message Beate. My husband and toddler are both currently napping in this heat and I've spent half an hour in the kitchen worrying! When I went onto google, the first thing I found were several articles about how difficult and complicated it all is, rather an actually any bank-specific guidance but your experience makes me feel less full of dread in trying to sort the whole thing out tomorrow morning. I really wouldn't like to lose that £2k my husband has already paid, given my family is already facing serious financial consequences as a result of my mum's condition. I just became worried that I might be falling foul of my responsibilities as attorney in reimbursing my husband for costs incurred on my mum's behalf for a period before POA was actually granted, but if it was ever questioned, it would be very obvious that the carer was for my mum's benefit, not my husband's benefit (although obviously she benefits us all!)

Thank-you Amethyst, all our outgoings are documented (except the chiropodist - cash in hand, so I think I have to let that go and ask for a receipt next time!

 

[Rosettastone57]

Take a deep breath. Why not ring first direct and find out what their protocols are. You can't be the only person who has had this problem with an internet bank. When I registered LPA with my MIL internet investments there was no branch to go into. I rang them and they wanted a certified copy of LPA with various forms of ID sent in. The whole thing took about 2 weeks. By the way my MIL agency will only take direct debits so you're lucky they accept credit cards.

 

[Beate]

Just to say that if you can't make a branch appointment and they require you to send in the LPA, never EVER send the original. If it gets lost in the post, you're in trouble. Send them a certified copy only. Any solicitor can certify it for a fee but these vary, so shop around a bit.

 

[Sirena]

As Beate has said, it should be an easy process. When I went to my mother's bank to register the LPA, the advisor could not have been more helpful, and as my mother did not have internet banking she helped me set that up there and then. I was dreading doing it too but it was really simple. It sounds like you only have the original of the LPA, in which case don't let it out of your sight, as Beate says get a couple of certified copies which you can send through the post if necessary. My mother's solicitor charges £25 per certified copy, I think some may charge less.

Yes of course you can reimburse the items you've paid for her on behalf. Once you can access her account you can transfer the money to your/your husband's account. There should be the facility to allow you to note on the transaction what it was for.

 

[DeMartin]

You didn’t mention if you’d applied for Attendance Allowance. It’s not means tested. Forms can be downloaded and filled in by you.

 

[Jools62]

Hi
I’ve read the comments about paying for care. If I went into any of Mums banks they would have nothing to do with me. When she tried to take money out which was over the limit, it was a nightmare getting her to the bank to sort it out. They sent her a new pin which no one has seen and she doesn’t remember it coming, so that is good as no one knows what it is, we use this to say she can’t go to the bank. But as she has another account we are able to get money from there. My brother doesn’t want to deal with anything, as he is scared she will have a go at him, so I do it, someone has to otherwise she would have no care or anything. Hopefully this COP will come through soon.
I’m waiting for a Court of Protection order as my Mum decided to play up when we tried to do a POA and the Doctor said no she didn’t know enough. She knew she was acting the a*&#
Because Mum has carers 3 times a day 7 days a week, luckily she signed the standing order when she was more lucid. So i have had to move money online to pay for her care,shopping, bills,

 

[Amber_31]

Thank-you so much for all the advice. Just to say I rang FD, they said they will send me out a ‘pack’ explaining how to register POA and it takes 8 weeks. They also told me that they will do background checks on me too and they will hold a file on me as If I were an account holder. It all sounds rather over the top considering POA is a court order- it’s not really for them to scrutinise me once last the point they are sure of my identity! Thank-you so much again for helping me diminish my worry over this issue!

 

[Sirena]

Background checks sound a bit OTT, as does 8 weeks for the process to happen, but I guess it's a bit more difficult when there is no branch to visit. The Halifax certainly didn't appear to do any background checks on me, I took in the LPA and two forms of ID and they gave me access to my mother's accounts there and then.

Glad you've got the process started, good luck with it.

 

[Sammyjo1]

I bank with FD and have done so for years. I find them great. I have PoA for my OH and have sent them the certificate. They let me do phone banking on his account but I don't have online access to it. They are very helpful and understanding. I did have one bad call with someone but I rang off and spoke to another person who was really helpful.
I hope you get everything sorted soon

 

[Amber_31]

I called on Monday and received the ‘pack’ today. Time is ticking and I’m paying the carer weekly myself now!
They require me to provide certified copies of ID documents from a fixed category of professionals. I asked if certification be from a barrister and I was told that wasn’t possible because ‘they are in court all day and they never pick up their phones’. Rather frustrating given it’s barristers I know and not solicitors, and rather silly reason given. All more admin and expense for me!
I really need online banking for this - would FD give it to me? I am sole financial LPA. I only use online for my own accounts, I don’t want to start telephone banking if I can help it, I am extremely busy.
If I want to close her account and open another one with a bank that will give me online banking, I imagine it will be very difficult telling her the providers of her various streams of income- or isthis easily done? Many thanks

 

[Beate]

First Direct is an online bank so I'd be very surprised if they didn't give you online banking.

Opening a new bank account should be easy enough, and usually all direct debits and standing orders get switched automatically from the old to the new. When it comes to organisations paying into her account, I guess you'll have to inform them of the new account details but that shouldn't be too difficult either. Not sure though why you'd want to move from First Direct, they win every customer satisfaction survey.

 

[Amber_31]

Thank-you Beate, the only reason I would have to change would be if they didn’t give me online banking, but if they generally do if asked for I suppose I’m excessively worrying. My parents both started banking with FD as soon as it started and they were very, very gentle and respectful to my mum a few years ago when she called up very frequently to say she had lost her debit card and could she have a new one.